


The Change You Wish to See

by mistyhollowdrummer



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-14 14:05:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 162,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2194563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mistyhollowdrummer/pseuds/mistyhollowdrummer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things at all. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.<br/>(On Hiatus)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. We Meet

**Author's Note:**

> Meh new story. :3 I decided I'll keep the two up-to-date on both here and FF.net, so it's where it is now. Hope you enjoy this one too! :D

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter One:**

**We Meet**

* * *

"Oh Levi!" Levi groaned and dropped his head into his hand. It was too early in the morning for this, for  _any_  of this. He didn't need to be up at eleven in the morning. He didn't need to be at a book store at eleven in the morning. He didn't need Hanji yelling in his ear at eleven in the morning. He seriously didn't need any of it at eleven in the morning.

"I'm right here, so stop yelling..." Levi growled into his hand. Hanji appeared from a hallway of books, a stack of thick books already in her arms and blocking most of her vision. She stepped over to the counter where Levi sat at and set them down, making the glass shake in an obscene way that made Levi step back for fear of it shattering. "What the fuck..." He grumbled with a pointed glare in her direction.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited!"

"There's a difference between your usual excitement and now?" Levi asked as he pulled one of the books from the top of the stack down to see it. He cursed himself for being so short, because he had no choice but to stand on his tip toes in front of the women. She always had a knowing look on her face whenever she saw it, a smug look to be more precise, and he hated it. When he got the book and looked at her, she was grinning behind the nozzle of her water bottle, that knowing look behind her big and funny glasses that he hated with all of his heart. He assumed this was her revenge for the joke he made just moments before. "Shut up."

"I didn't say anything." Hanji hummed and shrugged her shoulders. Levi rolled his eyes before looking over the book.

" _On the Shoulders of Giants..._ " Levi read the title out loud. "Someone actually wants to read this book?"

"Well if you've read it, then that means something." Hanji pointed out while adjusting her crooked glasses on her face.

"I read it because there's nothing to do. Barely anyone comes in here." Levi muttered and set the book down. "I've read almost everything in this place," He added and then looked at the other books lined up in front of him. All of them were geography books, educational books about the ocean, or books of animals. Levi scoffed.

"What...? Don't like someone's pick in books?" Hanji asked.

"I couldn't give less than a shit about what you read. Now would you put those away?" Levi asked, or rather he demanded.

"Nope," Hanji replied while patting some dust off of a book.

"Excuse me? Hanji, I'm your boss now, not a friend. I'm not your friend until we get out of work, so do what I say and put those away." Levi commanded while fisting his hands and grinding his teeth. It was always astounding how Hanji knew how to get under his skin in mere seconds.

"Can't," Hanji replied.

"Why not?"

"Because someone called to check out all of these books," She said and looked at her nails.

"Why didn't you just tell me that then?"

"Because I love to mess with you." Hanji said and grinned. Levi groaned to himself and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. Why did he hire Hanji again? Oh yeah, she needed a job and he didn't want to do this on his own.

"Fine,  _fine._  I don't even care." Levi muttered and tossed his hands in the air, a sign of defeat. Hanji audibly laughed, and Levi would have yelled at her and told her to be quiet if the store wasn't empty. Like he said before, no one ever came here. It was a rare occurrence whenever someone did, maybe once or twice a day. That's why Levi liked the job, and "liked" was used lightly.

It was quiet, and no one was there to bug him, well, that was until Hanji got there. It was just him by himself, totally alone and free to relax. It was an easy job with minimal pay, which he was completely fine with. He lived by himself in a small, rundown apartment in a shitty apartment building. It wasn't the best, but it wasn't the worst, and he was fine with that.

So, whenever someone did walk into the store, he questioned why. He never personally asked them of course. He'd let them go about their business, and most of the time they left with one or two books. Some left with none. Levi seriously questioned those people. He assumed that they stole books by hiding them under their shirts or in their backpacks, but he didn't care. He wasn't the owner, he was just there to keep the place clean and sell books.

Whenever someone did come in though, he would sometimes scowl… Well, scowl more than usual. He was busy reading most of the time, that or cleaning up the dust that seemed to accumulate more than oxygen, and he didn't like being interrupted. Now he had to deal with Hanji all day, a woman he had known since high school, regretfully he'd add. He wanted peace and quiet, and with her here he wouldn't get that.

He'd get the daily buzz of life from a woman who had the energy of a six year old with a serious sugar rush, and it was going to be like that every day until she either quit, was fired,  _he_  quit,  _he_  was fired, or until he died. He expected the very last option, because she would surely talk him to death.

Well, at least things would be interesting. At least that was what he hoped for. It wouldn't kill him to get something else in during the day, though she might with her boundless energy. His only break from her would probably be one of those rare occasions where someone actually came in and needed help finding something, something similar to this exact moment.

The bell at the front door rang, signaling someone's entry. Hanji managed to tame herself into small giggles as they waited for whomever it was to show up to the counter. Levi simply leaned against the glass counter, careless as to whom it was. He distantly thought that his appearance for the store was what made people stop coming, but he ignored it. People needed to stop judging a book by its cover.

No pun intended.

Finally, a boy found his way to the counter in the maze that was his book store. Levi only glanced up once to see who it was, and found nothing out of the ordinary with the kid. The kid couldn't have been anything more than fifteen at the best, but what did Levi know? People often mistook him for a teenager when, in reality, he was thirty four years old.

He wasn't distant to confusion.

He wore a rather big backpack on his back, and Levi knew he'd have to keep an eye on him. He didn't really care what was stolen from the store, but he didn't like having his boss yell in his ear. He had on a green, short sleeved shirt that had laces at the collar, showing off well defined muscles in his arms. His pants were standard blue jeans, and his shoes were normal converse sneakers. Out of everything about him, there wasn't much out of the ordinary. The only thing he could say looked odd about the kid (And yes, he was a kid) were his gold eyes. They were probably the most striking feature on him, accentuating his head of brunette hair and tan skin.

"Can we help you find anything?" Hanji asked. Levi rolled his eyes. It wasn't obvious, but he was ecstatic to have found someone else who wanted to do his job for him. It made his days at the store a whole lot easier.

The boy looked at Hanji and smiled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, folded up piece of paper. He held it out to her silently, letting Hanji take it so she could read it over. Levi looked at her, watching her mutter the words written on the paper.

"… Ohh I see! Well Mr. Jaeger, your books are right here!" She chirped with enthusiasm as she motioned to the stack of books sitting beside Levi. The kid smiled and nodded his head before reaching out to take them. He pulled them against his chest, grunting when he realized that the six books were heavier than they looked.

"You want help with those?" Levi asked in a bored tone. The kid seemed to ignore him, turning to the other direction where the tables and chairs were and leaving to take a seat at them. Levi was left with his mouth slightly open, hoping for an answer. He never got one.

"What a cute kid," Hanji mumbled.

"What a little prick." Levi growled.

"What…?"

"The little shit just ignored me." He huffed with irritation. If there was one thing Levi hated (One thing in the long list of things he hated), it would be that he hated being ignored. It took a lot to get Levi to talk, and he wanted a reason to if he was going to open his mouth.

"You don't know that, Levi. He may have not heard you." Hanji assured.

"Bullshit. I couldn't get any louder." It pissed him off to no end.

"You tend to mumble." The women said and fixed her glasses to sit on her forehead. "Maybe he's just hard of hearing."

"Well then why didn't he have trouble hearing you?" Levi asked.

"Because I don't talk, I bellow." Hanji seemed rather proud of herself at the obvious fact that she stated. Levi growled and looked away, as if the books on the shelves were more interesting than she was, though he wasn't so sure. Hanji could be a definite handful when she wanted to be. "Does it upset you that much that he didn't pay any attention to you?"

"Of course not," He grumbled.

"You are about as convincing as a child who's guilty of taking cookies from a cookie jar." Hanji muttered. She had been right though; even with a low tone, she was still rather loud.

"Whatever…"

"Levi, if it bothers you that much, just try again." Hanji addressed. "Go up and ask if he needs anything. Just play nice. He may not have heard you, and then you'll feel better knowing that." She assured and patted Levi's shoulder. The man looked at her from the corner of his eyes, or maybe he glared. He was trying to intimidate her for sure, but it didn't seem to work.

It took a lot to make Hanji feel offended… Or upset… Or mad… It was fucking  _difficult._

"I must be out of my mind…" Levi mumbled to himself before leaving the confines of the counter.

He felt so stupid right now, stupid and dumbfounded. Why was he doing this? Why did he even care? People had easily ignored him before, and he never cared for any of them. Why was this kid any different? Maybe it was because that the kid was just a kid. Maybe it was because he was young, and it bugged Levi that kids these days had manners about the size of their attention spans.

He would tell himself that, but he only hoped that this was the real reason. If not, he had no other excuses.

Levi sighed to himself as he walked over to the boy. The kid was fully engrossed in the book he was reading, the one Levi had previously stated was a boring ass book. Why the kid liked it, he'd never know. Why the kid decided to get six different books, all rather thick and boring, he'd never know either. Instead, he decided to try what Hanji said. Levi stood up straight while clearing his throat, hoping to just catch the kid's attention.

"Uh, is there anything you need?" He asked, making sure his voice was loud enough. It surely wasn't as loud as Hanji's, but no one's voice was as loud as hers. He could only get so loud. However, the boy remained quiet, eyes focused solely on his book. Levi's frown got deeper. He tried again.

"Do you want some water or… Or more light or something?" Levi asked. Again no answer. This was really starting to piss him off. "Kid…?" One last time, and  _again_ , no answer.

That was the final straw.

"Alright, that's it!" Levi barked and kicked the side of the boy's chair, effectively knocking him out of it. He tumbled to the floor and cried out at impact, one of his books falling from the table and smacking into his leg.

"Levi!" Hanji cried from where she stood, but she wasn't close enough to stop Levi as he picked up the kid by the collar of his shirt.

"Listen you! I don't know what your deal is with me, but when someone wants to play nice, try it! You're going to get your ass chewed out by the world if you don't try acting like you give a damn about what someone does for you!" Levi yelled. Hanji came up from behind him and pulled Levi away, freeing the kid from his grasp.

"Levi, stop!" She tried to yell over him. The boy crawled away on all fours before turning to face the two. Hanji saw the look of mortification on his face, and tried to stop Levi, but when he got in one of these moods, it was hard to calm him down. She would know. She'd gotten him this mad once, and he went off on her like no one's business.

"You didn't even thank Hanji for lugging around your damn books! I don't care what you think of me, but treat people with some damn respect, you little shit!" It took all of Hanji's strength to get some distance between Levi and the kid. The poor thing didn't need to deal with this, and if he continued to keep quiet, Levi would surely do something he'd regret.

"Stop it! Levi, back off!" Hanji used her remaining strength to throw Levi in an opposite direction, putting more distance between the two. Levi finally stopped fighting, but he was still fuming with anger.

"What the fuck are you still quiet for? You don't have anything to say, anything at all?" Levi asked. Hanji looked back to the boy he was yelling at, ready to apologize for his behavior, but she only found the look of anger written across his face. The boy looked just as angry, and she could tell he was obviously upset by the tears lining his eyes.

"Mr. Jaeger, I'm so sorry. H-He's just upset. He really didn't mean anything by it." Hanji once again excused his behavior. The boy said nothing, and it wasn't surprising to Levi. He stood, and he reached into his backpack that had been resting against the table, undisturbed by the commotion that just occurred. He pulled out a pen and a notebook before opening it and frantically writing in it.

"Sir…?" Hanji called out to him. The boy folded his notebook back, and daringly, possibly even in an act of stupidity, he chucked it at Levi. Levi caught it after the thing smacked into his chest, and he opened his mouth, prepared to yell, but the boy spoke first.

"Read!" He yelled. Levi noticed the terrible undertone that he possessed, as if his nose was terribly congested.  _"Read!"_  He yelled again and pointed to the notebook. Levi growled before pulling the notebook back and looking at the neat handwriting inside.

" _I can't hear you, dumbass!"_ It read in big and bold letters.

"What do you mean you can't hear me? And who are you calling a dumb-" Levi growled, but he stopped. The words seemed to click in his head, and he looked back down at the words written in the notebook.

Now it all made sense. The kid standing before him wasn't being rude; he wasn't even trying. The reasons as to why he never thanked Hanji, why he never responded to Levi or his acts of "kindness" were because he couldn't hear either of them, not because he was trying to be rude.

He was deaf.

"Oh…" Levi mumbled.  _"I really am a dumbass…"_  He distantly thought. The brunette stomped forward and yanked his notebook back from him before shoving it back into his book bag.

"W-Wait," Hanji began.

"Don't bother. He can't hear you." Levi said while looking down.

"He can't…  _Oh…_ " Hanji finally realized what this was all about. She stepped forward, grabbing the boys shoulder to stop him from leaving. The boy cried out at the touch, but Hanji silenced him by waving her hand in front of his face. He looked at her, his big eyes red and glassy before she began signing to him.

This was a new fact, even for Levi. He was completely unaware that Hanji knew sign language, but he guessed that it came as a good thing now. Once again, Hanji wasn't going to pull Levi out of a mess he'd created, and hopefully things could be fixed, because who was he to mess with someone who couldn't hear? He may have been a regular asshole, but he would never go so far as to mess with someone with a disability.

"No, no," Hanji murmured softly and continued to sign to him. The boy made a face of disgust, but she made it go away. She motioned to Levi a few times, once to herself, and then back to him again. It really irritated him that he couldn't understand what Hanji or him were discussing.

He only ever knew one or two hand signals, one for "I'm sorry," And the other for "Thank you." He knew these from a children's TV show he saw when he was a kid, and that was it. However, it was something. He recognized Hanji apologizing to him over again by rubbing her fist over her chest to him. The boy kept shaking his head, but after a while, he stopped. Hanji motioned towards Levi again, and this time she addressed him.

"Levi, apologize to Eren." This wasn't a suggestion; Hanji was downright commanding him to do it. Since when had she become the boss? It didn't seem to matter right now. When the boy, Eren, looked up at Levi with broken and defeated eyes, Levi felt a gust of guilt hit him fast. Eren had such puppy-like eyes, and who could possibly be mad at a face like that?

"I'm sorry…" Levi said while rubbing his hand over his chest. He wasn't even sure if he was doing it right; he was just imitating what Hanji had done, and what he remembered from TV, but it was something. At least he was trying.

Eren looked away, golden eyes adverted to the floor. He quietly sighed under his breath before he signed something Levi didn't understand. Thankfully, Hanji was there to translate what he said.

"He said it's okay." Hanji translated. Levi nodded wordlessly and looked away. He bent down and picked up the book he had knocked down when he kicked Eren away, and he held it out for him.

"Here…" He mumbled. He wasn't sure why he was even trying to talk. The kid couldn't hear him, so why bother?

"Thank you…" Again Eren spoke with his eyes averted to the floor, but it sounded morphed coming from him. It must have been because he couldn't hear himself, and he was unaware that he was saying it wrong. Regardless, Eren took his notebook back, his fingers barely brushing against Levi's in the process. Levi cleared his throat and looked away, only to glare at Hanji.

He was hoping that she would do something to lighten the tension, but she seemed perfectly content on letting the two live in their own little worlds of self-pity.

Without help from her, Levi picked up the fallen chair and set it back by the table before storming off and leaving to go to the office. This left Hanji and Eren alone, but Hanji helped Eren back into his seat and told him that she'd get him a cup of water before leaving to follow Levi. When she found him, Levi was indeed in the office, sitting in the chair to his desk with his head in his hands.

"Are you out of your Goddamn mind?" She asked him in anger, and it was hard to make Hanji angry. Just knowing that he had done it, that he was able to mess with those happy, dumb smiles of hers was surprising and nerving all on its own.

"I'm sorry…"

"How could you go off on someone who is deaf?" She asked, though she kept her voice low. Why he wouldn't know. The boy outside could hear them, even if they were talking with megaphones.

"You think I would have had I known?" Levi looked up and asked. "I wouldn't have gone after him had I known it."

"You shouldn't be going after people in general!" Hanji reprimanded. "You're lucky he's not pressing charges against you."

"I said I was sorry."

"After I apologized for you first. I tried saying that you were just defending me, but he barely believed me on that. He didn't, and probably still  _doesn't_ believe me when I said that you are a nice guy."

"That's a bunch of shit and you know it." Levi scoffed with a bitter smirk. Hanji sighed and pushed her glasses up onto her head so she could rub her eyes.

"Levi,  _please,_  just behave." She pleaded with him.

"Whatever…" Levi uttered like a child before poking at a book sitting at the edge of his desk. He pulled it closer to himself before opening it and looking inside, only pretending to read it. He wanted Hanji to go away, so he could have a moment alone to think about what just happened, and it worked. After a few moments of silence and his obvious ignoring of her, she left the room with a sigh. He then sighed when the door to his office shut. He knew he was pushing her away, but he did it to everyone, and he did it on purpose.

He was better off alone.


	2. Meet My Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Want to hear the dumbest thing I did about this story? Okay, so while I was writing about Eren reading his books, I had a thought. Here was my thought. "Oh, he's going to need some books with braille in them so he can read them."
> 
> ... Do you get it?
> 
> He's deaf, not blind.
> 
> Oh I'm tired. XD

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Two:**

**Meet My Family**

* * *

After that, Eren Jaeger had come to Levi's book store for two days, and he was always alone. He never asked for anything extra other than the books he wanted, and every day, he'd stay for a few hours and read his books before leaving, sometimes taking one or two with him, sometimes not. He always arrived at twelve, contrary to his first day there, and he always left at four, which Levi considered odd, but it was none of his business anyway. The kid had his own agenda to live out.

So, on the third day, after some poking and prodding from Hanji (and incessant amount that made him nearly tare his hair out), she finally convinced Levi to talk to Eren Jaeger. Of course, after their first encounter, Levi hadn't bothered to try talking to Eren at all, or even write down what it was he wanted to say. Eren didn't try either, and he didn't care. However, something did bug him, and that was whenever he talked to Hanj.

He had no idea what the two could be saying, whether it was something good or bad and who it was about. They could have been joking about Levi right in front of him and he wouldn't have even known. Hanji wasn't good at hiding lies of course, so he would have known eventually if they had said something bad abuot him, but if they talked about him in a way that wasn't horrifyingly graphic, well then he'd never know.

When they laughed, he was irritated. When Eren whined, he was irritated. When Hanji pointed to Levi and then Eren laughed, he was irritated to no end.

When Eren smiled, he was upset. Why? He wasn't sure. Something about that smile made him upset, and that was it.

He wasn't at all enthusiastic about it, not after what happened when they met, and he was positive that Eren wouldn't be happy about it either, but she wouldn't stop pushing ice down his shirt until he did. For anyone, after sixteen cubes of ice go down their shirt, they tend to give in.

So now he'd figure out some things. He'd try to be nice this time around though, and he'd try to fix what he previously fucked up. Why he even wanted to play nice with the kid was beyond him, but it didn't matter. He couldn't sleep at night with this hanging over his head, and God knows he needed his sleep with a job like his that required a lot of reading.

So Levi just sucked it up and walked over to the boy. He was at his previous table, the one he sat at every day, and had his head in a dictionary. A dictionary? Yes, a dictionary. The kid was seriously weird. Levi thought that at first, but then he realized that Eren had his head in it because he was looking for a word he didn't understand in another book.

Levi felt Eren's words coming back to him. He couldn't have been that much of a dumbass as Eren so politely put it.

Levi knew talking wouldn't catch the kid's attention, so he simply sat down beside him in an empty chair at the table. He looked over to him, and Eren's golden eyes slowly lifted from the book to meet his. The brunette looked back down into his book for a moment, and then looked back up, as if waiting for something from the older man.

What could Levi possibly do? He couldn't talk to the kid, as far as he knew anyway. All he was doing, all he  _could_  do, was sit there and watch the kid who was staring at him with a mixture of confusion and annoyance.

"Hm...?" Eren sounded out quietly.

"So can you hear certain things, or are you just totally deaf?" Levi asked despite himself. After a quiet pause, when Eren reached into his book bag and pulled out his notebook, Levi got his answer. Eren handed Levi his notebook, along with a pen, and Levi stared at the page already presented to him. There were words already written down on the page, words he couldn't help but read.

_"No, the verb is the action. Running is an action. It's the adjective that describes something, whether it's the noun or verb. Pink is an adjective, so "The pink cat was running." The adjective pink describes the cat."_

_"Why would a cat be pink?"_

_"Seriously, Eren? You're such a dork."_

_"You're the dork. You couldn't find your glasses two minutes ago and they were on your face."_

Eren's hand suddenly covered up the page, stopping Levi from continuing his snooping. Eren turned the page for him, giving him a fresh page to look at, and one without words. Eren took the pen back from Levi and wrote down on the blank page.

 _"What do you want?"_  The paper now said. Levi took the pen that was offered to him and wrote down what he needed to say just a space below the words.

 _"To talk... But that's kind of redundant, isn't it?"_ He wrote down. He showed it to Eren, and the boy sneered at the sentence. He set the notebook down on the table and pulled another pen from his book bag, which he used and began writing down in his notebook.

 _"You're an ass."_  Levi read, and he faintly smirked. The kid had a certain spunk to him that he liked. It wasn't often when someone would battle him in wits, minus Hanji, but Hanji was a special case.

 _"You're still a little shit."_  He wrote down.

" _Is that what you were calling me a few days ago?"_

" _Yep."_  This time Eren chuckled a little and looked back at his book. This gave Levi the time to write down a question. He tapped at Eren's shoulder, getting his attention before showing him the words on the page.  _"You've talked before. Can you talk, or can you say a few words?"_  He asked, and Eren replied in the notebook.

 _"I can still talk, I just don't know if I'm saying things right or not. I try not to talk, because I've been told I sound weird when I do."_  Levi frowned at the words.

_"Who told you that?"_

_"Just about everyone outside of my family and friends... No, even some friends say it too."_

_"Well they're stupid. You sound more congested than you do weird."_  Levi sat back as Eren read over the words.

"Thanks..." Eren said out loud. Levi leaned forward and wrote in the notebook.

" _So you can't hear a person reply either, right?"_

"No..." Eren mumbled and shook his head. "I can't... Hear things..." He tried. Levi noticed the frustration written on his face before he went right back to writing.  _"I can feel vibrations though."_  He wrote down.

_"Vibrations?"_

_"Like loud music that shakes a house, or if I'm sleeping on someone, I can feel their breathing or their heartbeat. I can imagine what those things sound like through the vibrations."_

_"Do you sleep on people often?"_ Levi asked and smirked. Eren rolled his eyes before replying.

_"I only ever do it to my sister or my friend, more so him than her for obvious reasons."_

_"And he lets you?"_

_"Of course he does. I'd do the same thing for him if this was his situation."_ Levi looked at Eren's face, noticing the pain that showed in his golden eyes. It was obvious that this was getting to be too much for the kid to talk about. It was something he wasn't comfortable with, and Levi would respect that. So with that, he turned to a fresh page and began writing again.

 _"So, if you know how to talk, does that mean you were born with your hearing?"_ Levi asked, although he regretted it. This didn't seem any better than what they were talking about before.

_"Yeah, I lost my hearing when I was nine."_

_"Would you care if I asked how?"_  Levi asked and watched Eren's face. He seemed to be going through the pros and cons to the idea, but he still didn't seem comfortable to continue.  _"You don't have to answer that."_ The older man added afterwards.

 _"I was in an accident, that's all."_  Eren set his pen down, and Levi took that as a sign that he didn't want to continue on any conversation. Levi set his own pen down and motioned for Eren to look his way. The kid did, and Levi signed his apology for him, hoping that he could make it up to the kid. Eren smiled, but Levi could see the bitterness behind those eyes before Eren was grabbing at his pen again.

 _"Your sign language sucks."_  He wrote down in his notebook.

 _"How can my sign language suck? I'm not even talking."_  Levi wrote.

 _"You're keeping your thumb tucked in, and it's supposed to stick out."_  Eren motioned for Levi to look his way. When he did, Eren pointed to Levi and signed the apology. He then pointed to himself and did the same, with the only exception of having his thumb stick out.

It was a simply explanation. "You're doing this, and you're supposed to do this."

"Alright, I get it." Levi muttered to himself. In the dense quiet that soon followed after, a soft vibration was heard. Eren felt it instead of hearing it, and he reached into his book bag to pull out his phone. Levi didn't see the caller ID; however, Eren's eyes looked at it with a dull look. He waited, and Levi watched as he waited for the call to end. When it did, Eren flipped the vibrate option off and turned the volume down low on the ringer.

He then sighed as he set his phone down on the table and looked back at his book, as if questioning if the conversation was over. Levi simply waved him off before standing and pushing his chair back in to give the kid his peace. Levi walked back over to the counter where Hanji was waiting, a grin spreading her cheeks wide to the point where it looked painful.

"That looked civil." She stated kindly. "He got you to smile and everything."

"We just talked." Levi muttered and looked back at Eren. Levi heard the soft playing of his ringtone; obviously someone was trying to get ahold of him, and obviously Eren was ignoring them. That's probably why he put his ringer on, so he intentionally couldn't hear it.

"He's kinda cute too. You got the hots for him?" Hanji questioned. Levi could practically hear the smirk on her lips and the condescending tone in her voice.

"You're sick, you know that?" Levi growled.

"What...? There's nothing wrong with an innocent date." The women said in a simple manner.

"He's twelve."

"Oh he's older than that." Hanji said.

"How would you know?"

"Because when he checked out his books a few days ago, I got him a library card. He's nineteen, if you're curious. Makes it legal for you two."

"Stop it," Levi growled at her.

* * *

For the first time in the three days he'd come to the store, Eren stayed late. It was six-fifteen when someone actually came in looking for him. Actually, it was two people, a girl and a boy. The girl was frantic, her black hair a little messy and disheveled, her cheeks red and her breath bated. The boy standing behind her was panicked, but as soon as they walked in, his big, blue eyes fell to the hundreds of books around him. He was in awe, and the panic was gone.

"Excuse me," The girl called out to Levi. He lifted his head from his book and looked at the teen with a bored expression.

"Yeah...?" The girl walked up to him and set her keys down.

"I-I'm looking for my brother, Eren Jaeger. He sent my friend a text saying he was here." Even her tone was frantic, as if she'd just run ten miles to get here. Hopefully that wasn't the case, and guessing by the keys, it probably wasn't.

"He's over there." Levi said and pointed to Eren still sitting at the table. The girl looked over to him, and she sighed in utter relief at the sight of him.

"Eren," She groaned and walked up to him. Levi hoped that the girl knew Eren was deaf, because calling out to him wasn't going to get his attention. "Eren!" She called out and shook his shoulder.

Eren jumped out of his book and looked up at her, surprised by the sight of her. When his eyes found hers, a look of fear showed on his boyish features.

"Mikasa..." He muttered.

"What are you doing here?" Mikasa asked and signed at the same time. "You're supposed to be home." Eren signed, but for his lack of hearing, he didn't speak like her. "Armin told me where you were. Armin!"

The boy who had been browsing books put the one he was reading away at the sound of her voice. He followed her voice to the two of them, and Eren was obviously upset with him.

"Armin..." He whined and signed something Levi couldn't read.

"I'm sorry, Eren. She didn't know where you were; she was scared." Armin signed. "I know I promised, but she threatened to burn my books if I didn't tell her."

Well, that explained why Eren liked books. If the boy, Armin, shared the same love for them, Levi could understand why.

"Why didn't you answer your phone when I called you?" Mikasa asked. Eren shrugged his shoulders and looked at his phone sitting on the table. His sister picked it up and looked at it, only to find her answer.

"You idiot, your ringer is on." She reprimanded.

"That little sneak..." Levi mumbled to himself. Mikasa honestly thought that it was an accident that his ringer was on, when the truth was that Eren simply turned it on to ignore her phone calls. He was a kid, sure, but he was quite the little minx when he wanted to be.

"Eren, you aren't doing this every day, are you?" His sister asked. "Don't lie to me, do you understand me?" She went so far as to cup his jaw in her hand when he tried to look away. "How often have you been coming here?"

Eren signed his answer, and his sister groaned. She released him, and Eren looked away pitifully.

"Eren, really?" She asked and rubbed at her forehead.

"I thought you only came here that one time a few days ago. I didn't think you came back after that." Armin muttered and signed. Eren shook his head and replied, to which the boy looked relatively pleased.

"It doesn't matter anymore." Mikasa said. "We're leaving."

"No, Mikasa!" Eren whined.

"We're going." She warned, her tone actually frightening, even from where Levi was standing, and he wasn't by any means close. Even Levi felt a little threatened by her attitude.

Eren whined and stood up from his chair. He collected his things and stuffed them back into his backpack, and then tossed it on his back. He reached for his books, but Mikasa grabbed at his arms and yanked him forward.

"Let's go," She commanded. Eren audibly whined and fought within her grasp, but his sister obviously had some serious muscles to her for all of her skinny stature.

"A-Armin! Armin!" Eren called out to him and managed to free a hand to sign something to him. Mikasa yanked him out of the store, and Armin sighed to himself when he was left alone. He noticed Levi's lingering stare and he promptly clear his throat and collected the books Eren left behind, a small blush on his cheeks the whole time.

"Um, s-sorry about that." He apologized and brought the books over to the counter. "They can be a hassle sometimes."

"Were they your brother and sister?" Levi asked, but he highly doubted it. None of them looked alike, and Mikasa was the one calling Eren her brother. It really didn't make sense.

"Oh, n-no, Eren and Mikasa are related, but I'm not. I'm just a friend." The blond stuttered with a blush.

"The kid must trust you then. He doesn't even text his own sister." Levi muttered as he began putting the books into the system.

"No, he trusts her too; Eren's just trying to make a point. It's not that big of a deal really."

"It seems like one."

"Well, maybe I'm just used to it then. They're always fighting like this." Levi placed the books back on the counter for him, and the blond took them quietly, though grunting at the weight of them.

"They fight like this all of the time?" Levi asked.

"Uhm... Yeah, kind of." Armin cleared his throat again.

"Right... Well, these need to be back by the twenty-eighth." Levi instructed. Armin nodded his head in understanding.

"Right, it was nice meeting you. Have a good day." He said and left the store as quietly as he came in.

It fell quiet again, and Levi suddenly felt the pressure enveloping him. Even though he heard only the small sounds, such an occasional yawn or the flip of a page from Eren when he was there, the quiet now was unsettling. People rarely visited the store, so having it quiet again wasn't something of the norm anymore.

It made him feel uneasy.


	3. We Meet Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi~ Everyone~! :D Here is the latest chapter! I know it's a bit slow right now, but I have a method to my madness, I promise. I'd like to take a moment to explain a few things. I know you guys are a little turned off by how protective Mikasa is, but I promise that I have a reason. ^^ There will be lots of development between all of the characters to come. :3 And as for the question, is it a book store or a library... You know, I don't really know anymore. XD I wanted it to be a bookstore, so it was, but then I needed to give Eren a reason to come back, so it became a library. I don't even know. It's both, how's that? Together, we can make this happen. XD
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the day: Hotaru  
> By: Fujita Maiko

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Three: We Meet Again** **  
**

* * *

Levi didn't see the brunette for two weeks after that. It was completely unsettling, the quiet and how dense it was. All that was there to occupy his time were books and Hanji, and he could only handle so much of Hanji for so long. Well, he could only handle so much of books for a certain amount of time too, but at least those could occupy his mind quietly.

Sometimes the blond kid came in, the one named Armin. He came in once or twice a week, saying that coming to the store to sit and read was a great way to relax after school and work.

Apparently Armin had a real love for books, a love for them that outmatched Eren's, which Levi came to find out that Eren really didn't like books. Armin especially loved ones about nature or places to vacation at. They weren't normal vacation places either. He, much like Eren, liked to explore. He liked the idea of the world around them, not the one surrounding them called a city. Levi would agree that the world was beautiful, but with his pay, that was as close to him as a pipe dream. However, hearing the kid talk about it made it seem like even someone worse off than Levi could still do it.

He was incredibly convincing, and Levi found that a rather admirable quality in him. He reminded him much of an old "friend," and he used that term loosely.

He asked once if Eren was like that. Armin said that Eren was just like him in that aspect, if not then maybe a little worse. He said it was most likely where he got it from, considering he was a recluse for the better part of his childhood until he met him; however, Eren was just too straight forward to be tactful about it. Levi wasn't sure why he bothered asking, but it did something to fill up his time, and without the kid to annoy him, he was at a loss.

He didn't talk to Armin much though. He asked if Eren was okay every now and again, Armin would say yes, and Levi would leave it at that. Sometimes he would ask about Mikasa to make sure the blond wouldn't get suspicious. He didn't want to make it seem like he was showing interest in the kid, but he couldn't help it. He was intrigued, and he wasn't sure why. Something about the kid was different. Maybe it was his bravery for taking on someone like Levi, or maybe it was something simple like the color of his eyes; those big, golden eyes of his. He wasn't sure.

He just knew that he was fond of the kid.

So, when Eren came back two weeks later, he was no less than surprised and slightly grateful by it. The brunette looked lost and embarrassed while tugging the books along with him. Levi was then reminded that today was indeed the twenty-eighth, and he had brought them back just in time. He didn't bother with a formal greeting, knowing Eren couldn't hear him, so he just waited until the kid could see him before waving a hand at him.

"Hey," The kid was deaf, not blind, so he knew what it was Levi was implying just by the wave of his hand. Eren smiled his way, a boyish smile that still had a teenage charm to it. Levi distantly wondered how Eren kept all of the girls off of him with a smile like that.

"Hi," It was a simple word, one Levi knew Eren could handle without his hearing. He set the books down on the counter and instantly went for the notebook in his backpack, but Levi stopped him. He already had a notepad handy, along with a cup of pencils and pens not too far off. He held out both to Eren, and the boy nodded his in thanks.  _"Thank you,"_ He wrote down on the paper. He then handed Levi the notepad, who set it down on the counter to write on.

 _"You brought these back just in time."_  He wrote down on the pad.

 _"Armin told me when to bring them in."_  The brunette wrote down. Levi nodded his head and did the usual routine of scanning the books back into the computers. When he was done, he set them aside so he could continue to talk to the boy.

 _"So where have you been?"_ He questioned on the paper. Eren laughed a little before taking the pen back from Levi.

 _"My sister grounded me and stuck me in the house. I snuck out to return these."_  He answered and motioned to the books.

 _"Won't she notice you're gone?"_ Levi asked.

 _"No, she's at school right now with Armin."_  The teen answered. Somehow this answered Levi's previous questions. Eren always got there at twelve, and he always left at four. This meant that the two were at school at these hours, and the two weren't even aware that he was gone.

 _"Why aren't you then?"_  Levi asked.

 _"I'm home schooled."_  He replied with a shrug of his shoulders. Levi had a few guesses as to why that was, but he wouldn't voice it. He didn't want to upset the kid at all.

 _"Ditching your work for today then?"_  He asked in lieu of his previous questions.

 _"Just for an hour. I have to get back now."_  Eren replied. He stepped back, as if preparing to leave, but he stilled. He came right back and began frantically writing on the paper. With the way he was writing, Levi had no choice but to peek, and peek he did. However, Eren's writing was so fast that he was done in seconds, and Levi was left with an explanation.

 _"I'm sorry for my sister a few weeks ago. She's never rude or anything like that, she was just worried about me. She can get very careless when she's worried about me. If she upset you at all, it wasn't her intention to do it."_  He read, muttering the words quietly to himself. Eren held the pen out for Levi, but Levi didn't bother with it, instead getting his own to write with.

 _"It's not a problem. She didn't actually say much, but I knew that she was worried about you."_  He wrote down. Eren sighed, a small groan leaving him in irritation. Levi couldn't help but to ask more questions, curious behind the two of them and their odd relationship.  _"Does she keep you in a basement or something? Don't you ever leave the house?"_

Eren seemed surprised by the blunt questions, but since when had Levi been tactical? That was something his old coworker didn't pass down to him.

_"Eh... Kind of. She lets me out of the house, but only when I'm with her or Armin."_

Was he saying kind of to the first or second question?

_"So wait, did the two of them come with you before?"_

_"No, that's why I got in so much trouble. I didn't tell them where I was going. I only told Armin to cover me once, and that was the day she came in. I wanted to stay longer, but apparently Armin sucks at lying more than I thought."_  Eren frowned after finishing his sentence.  _"That's why I can't stay long."_

_"How long do you think you can stay?"_

"Hm...?" Eren sounded out after reading the sentence. Levi continued to write, not bothering to meet Eren's golden stare.

_"I'm asking how much longer you can stay."_

_"I don't think very long. Why...?"_

_"So if I asked you to come get a coffee with me, would you say no?"_ The words definitely shocked the boy this time. He looked up in surprise, his big eyes even bigger and accentuated by the blush on his tan cheeks. Levi faintly smirked at the sight he'd created on the boy, but not getting an answer on the spot upset him.

"Uhm..." Eren uttered and looked around. He pointed to himself, and Levi nodded his head and pointed to the brunette.

 _"Yeah you. No one else is in the store besides Hanji, and she's in the back. I'm supposed to take my break in a few minutes anyway, so what do you say?"_  One little, white lie couldn't hurt, right? He could have laughed at the way the boy's cheeks flushed darker before nodding his head.

 _"I think a cup of coffee won't take long, right?"_ He wrote on the paper. Levi nodded before pulling off his apron.

"Hanji!" He called out. There was a small crash in the back, one that Eren didn't hear, but Levi groaned to before the women appeared from the doorway.

"Yes?" She chirped.

"I'm going on my break. See you in an hour." Levi muttered as he walked around the counter to be beside Eren. "Don't let the place catch on fire."

"Oh, are you two going on a date?" Hanji mused with a wide grin. As Levi's reply, he turned his back and raised a middle finger at her before leaving.

* * *

"What can I get for you?"

"I'll have one coffee, black with no sugar." Levi said while looking in his wallet. He pulled out a ten and looked over to Eren, who was looking up at the drinks menu. He nudged Eren with his shoulder, spooking him from his quiet thoughts and pulling his attention away from the board. He motioned to the notepad in Eren's hand, and Eren wrote down what it was he wanted. "And one water please."

"Bottle or cup?" The petite women behind the counter asked.

"Bottle," Levi answered for him. "He doesn't need to be spilling stuff on himself." He muttered quietly, but he knew that it didn't matter. Eren couldn't hear him anyway.

The woman got their orders, and the two of them sat down in a booth by the shop window. Levi leaned back into the booth seat and crossed his legs, and old habit he picked up somewhere along the way. As he began drinking his coffee, he noticed the peculiar stare he was getting from the teen. He motioned for the kid to hand him his notebook, and he did, along with his pen.

 _"What the hell are you staring at?"_  Levi asked on the paper. Eren's cheeks seemed to flush another pink color, and Levi was wondering if Eren was just easily embarrassed or sick, because it didn't seem natural to change colors so quickly.

 _"I was just wondering why you held your cup that way."_  Eren remarked. Levi looked at the cup he was holding, how he was holding it by the paper rim instead of just holding the entire thing. Levi didn't even find this odd. He'd been doing it since he was a child, and it had become such a habit that he did it with everything he drank.

 _"I don't know. Just a habit, I guess."_  No, that was a lie. He knew why, he just didn't feel like explaining it.

_"Isn't it hard though? Doesn't your hand get in the way?"_

_"No, not really. I've been doing it for so long that I don't even notice it."_  Levi wrote down. Eren decided to stop the questions after that. He drank from his water bottle silently, his eyes either looking at the water or the table. His hands were hiding in his lap, and Levi was sure the boy couldn't fidget anymore if he purposely tried to. After minutes of just that, of their quiet exchanges of eye contact and drinking, Levi finally decided to get things moving again.

_"Brat, what's on your mind?"_

_"Nothing is,"_  Eren was a terrible liar, and he didn't need to talk to prove it. His ears turned red just from trying to lie.

 _"Obviously something is. What're you thinking about that's got you so fidgety?"_  Eren looked to the floor, and Levi thought the kid would faint if the blood stayed in his head any longer.  _"If you aren't going to tell me why then at least pretend like it isn't on your mind. You're freaking me out."_  Eren took the pen back from Levi, but as he began to write, his hand hovered over the paper. Levi looked down at what he wrote, only to find one word written down.

 _"This..."_ Levi grabbed Eren's wrist and pushed down, trying to get him to continue. Eren whined quietly before he did. He scratched off the word so he could start again.  _"... Is this considered a date?"_

The words were utterly surprising and left the normally perfectly functioning man to sit wide eyed and mouth slightly agape. He read over the words again, and then once more to make sure he wasn't reading them wrong or misinterpreting them for something else. No, the word was "date," and Eren was asking him if they were on one. Levi cleared his throat, a feeling of onset embarrassment hitting him fast. Well, he could definitely check this off of his bucket list.

Have an outing mistaken for a date by a hearing deficit nineteen year old: Check.

 _"Do you think it is?"_  Levi countered with on the paper once the shock wore off. Eren shook his head, an odd sound leaving him that he was sure the brat didn't hear. Eren's hand barely kept still as he wrote, and twice he dropped the pen while writing.

 _"No, I didn't, but I started thinking that maybe you thought it was a date. I thought you would probably get upset if I thought it was a date, and I wasn't sure-"_  Eren stopped writing and covered the notebook with a whine of embarrassment. "S-Sorry..." He muttered into his arms.

Levi pulled at his hands, effectively removing his hands from the paper. Levi yanked the pen from Eren's firm grasp and wrote on the paper, but Eren was too afraid to look. Levi pushed the notebook forward, not giving Eren the chance to act like a whining child. Eren knew as well that Levi wouldn't leave him alone until he did anyway.

 _"Do you want this to be a date?"_  The words read. Eren couldn't bear the fear of looking up into Levi's eyes, afraid of what he'd see. The voice could be deceiving, but eyes couldn't, and Levi's dark grey eyes told a lot.

 _"... Maybe. I don't know. I've never been on a date before."_  Eren dropped the pen to whine some more. Levi noticed the stares they were getting; obviously Eren's whining was annoying them, but how could Eren possibly know that? It's not like he could hear himself doing it. Was he even aware that he was doing it?

 _"Well..."_  Levi wrote down. All this did was catch the kid's attention.  _"How about, for the sake of our comfort and self-pride, this can be just two people going out for coffee?"_  He asked on the paper. Eren seemed downtrodden by the words and solemnly nodded his head, but this gave Levi the answer he was looking for to a question that wasn't written down. _"And..."_

Eren's eyes seemed to light up to the continuation of Levi's sentence. Levi noticed Eren's eyes quickly flicker up to him before looking away again, but his eyes fell to the paper, anxiously waiting.

 _"... Friday we can go out for a date?"_  Levi left the sentence as is, no add-ons and no implications. This left the floor open for Eren, and this left it up to him to decide whether he was comfortable considering anything else as a date. Levi wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was rather nervous (because he couldn't think of a better word) to what Eren's answer would be.

Of course he didn't want to date a brat like him. He was nineteen, barely legal, and a little shit if he ever saw one, and he  _had_. There was such a big age difference that it was laughable, and Levi couldn't possibly date someone so young. He wouldn't say that he didn't _want_ to date Eren because he was deaf, but wouldn't his lack of hearing be a factor to consider? Wouldn't that just make things difficult?

So of course he wouldn't date Eren, but why did he feel this emotional pit in his stomach that felt like it would burst if he said no? Why did the idea of Eren rejecting the date actually upset him?

"Ugh..." Eren uttered and picked up the pen.  _"It's not good..."_  He wrote down. Levi felt an odd drop in his heart at the words, but Eren continued.  _"I spend Friday's with my sister and my friend. Would Thursday be okay instead?"_

Was this right? Was this kid actually saying yes? Levi found the idea to be redundant, like it was all a dream, and when he woke up, it'd all be over. However, no matter how much he blinked or no matter how much he tried to shake himself awake, it didn't work. He was awake, and this was really happening.

_"I don't get off of work until seven on Thursdays. Is that okay with you?"_

And was he really agreeing to this? Was he really going on a date with this kid?

 _"That's fine,"_  Eren looked away for a moment, a frown on his face.  _"However, I have to find a way around my sister."_  The words weren't what Levi wanted to read.

 _"You can't hide this from your sister."_  Levi informed.

 _"Why...? Maybe Armin will cover me again. Or maybe I can just blast music in my room with the door locked and pretend I'm asleep. I've done it before."_ Eren excused.

" _No, don't lie to your sister. You're only giving her a reason not to trust you."_  Eren's eyes fell into that sad puppy-dog expression and it took a lot to keep Levi convinced that he was right.  _"Eren, think of it this way. Say we're out, your sister doesn't know where we are, and some bastard comes up and kills us both. She's going to think you're sound asleep in your room, not breathing your last breath in an alleyway."_

Levi was aware that his words were harsh, but so was reality, and he needed to make sure that Eren understood. Of course Levi would never allow something like that to happen, but the odds could have been thrown out there at any moment.

What if one of them was hit by a car? What if there was some psycho with a gun shooting up innocent lives? The world was full of shit and shitty people, and he had to make sure Eren understood. Obviously the kid did, but he looked mortified to go with it.

 _"And besides,"_  Levi continued.  _"If your sister finds out you're going out on a date with someone, I'd appreciate it if she didn't want to kill me first hand. I'd like to meet her, and then let her decide if she really wants to kill me."_

 _"She might. Mikasa is really protective of me."_ Eren wrote down.

_"It doesn't matter. I want her to know that this is all simple and pure-hearted, not just some creepy, old pervert trying to get into your pants."_

_"You aren't, right?"_  Eren chuckled as he met Levi's eyes. The brat was blushing, and Levi rolled his eyes.

 _"Old or perverted?"_  Levi retorted.

 _"Perverted. Wait, how old are you?"_ Eren asked. Levi felt a smirk spreading his lips as he wrote down his answer.

_"How old do I look?"_

_"... Twenty-six?"_

_"Add eight to that."_  Levi replied. Eren had to hold up his fingers to count, but when he got it, the shocked expression that came across his face was priceless.

"Huh?" Eren sounded, followed by a few other sounds as he pointed to the older man. More stares insisted from the people around them, but Levi was too humored by the kid to care.  _"You're thirty four?"_

_"Yeah, and I'll be thirty five in December."_

_"Wow..."_

_"Okay kid, it's not like I'm one-hundred and one."_  Levi rolled his eyes. Eren laughed as he continued to write.

 _"So we know you're old. I must be up against a lot of competition, right?"_  He questioned.

 _"Kid, let me tell you something. Ever since high school, every girl looks at me and drools. You probably noticed the girl at the register doing it too. I've never done anything to attract them let alone go out with them, so why would I pick you over a sea of fans who have been following me around like puppies for the better part of twenty years?"_  It was the truth, because Levi had been chased by many girls, and even a few guys.

He never cared for them, and didn't bother dating. Hanji had convinced him on one or two, and one was not so bad for a while, but the idea of affection from anyone didn't settle right with Levi, and it was broken off in a week. He left the girl devastated, but he assured her that it wasn't her, but him, which was also the truth. He just wasn't the type to date.

 _"Uh... I'm an easy target?"_  Eren chided.

 _"Try again."_  Levi smirked and sat back. That was the end of their conversation on the topic of their date. It was over and done with, leaving the two to finish their drinks in silence.

However, the question still remained.

Why was Eren unlike the others?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm curious to know if anyone saw the reference. XD  
> Anyway, I'm saying this again so everyone knows! I'll be in San Francisco from the 11th to the 15th this month for yaoi con! If anyone is going, don't be shy. I'd love to meet you guys. ^_^ This does mean that there probably won't be updates next week, but we'll see. :3  
> Have an awesome week everyone! :D


	4. Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here comes the fluffles~!

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Four: Acceptance**

* * *

When Levi bothered a glance at the calendar, he already found it to be September. The fall temperatures were cold, but a welcoming change of pace from the hot summer they had. He hadn't even really noticed it, but the only reason he did now was for the sake of checking the date.

Eren and he had made plans for Thursday, and it was already Wednesday. The kid hadn't come in since Friday when he last saw him, and he should have bothered exchanging numbers, but that was even if the brat hadn't lost his cellphone to his sister. At least this way he could have known if he told his sister about him or not.

So, when Eren suddenly came storming in at five-thirty in the evening, forcibly tugging his sister behind him, it was indeed a surprise.

"E-Eren, stop pulling!" Mikasa yelled, but she didn't bother signing. Levi definitely wondered why the girl tried talking out loud when the kid obviously didn't hear anything. Maybe it was for the sake of her sanity? He'd never know. "Eren, stop!" Mikasa yelled and pulled back so hard that it yanked Eren to the floor.

The poor kid looked dumbfounded, but nonetheless, he stood and continued to pull.

"Eren, what is this about?" This time Mikasa had her brother's attention, enough to sign her question for him. Levi watched with mild interest as the boy signed back, though he couldn't be sure of what. He only knew it was something that took the girl by surprise.

He couldn't have possibly told her  _now,_  could he?

"... A date?" Yeah, he did. "W-Wait, wait a minute here. You want to go on a date with someone?"

"Yes," Eren said and nodded his head.

"With who?" Mikasa asked. Eren motioned towards Levi with his head, and her dark blue eyes traveled to find him. When she saw him, there wasn't much of a reaction; possibly disgust, but no real reaction. "With him?" She asked.

"Mhm..."

"Wait..." Mikasa looked like she was trying to correctly process everything. The words made no sense to her, like Eren was speaking gibberish to her. It probably didn't help any that he was indeed speaking in sign language. "You want to go on a date with him?" She signed. Eren nodded his head eagerly, and Levi wouldn't lie and say it wasn't the least bit cute.

The older man sighed and closed his book before stepping out from behind the counter. He straightened his apron and walked over to the two, noticing the glaring Mikasa was doing to both him and Eren.

"Hey," Levi said and held out his hand. "I'm Levi; it's nice to officially meet you." Mikasa glared, and she didn't bother trying to shake his hand.

Well this was already going well.

Eren made a sound of protest and pushed at his sister's arm. She glared, but Eren continued to hit her arm until Mikasa took Levi's waiting hand. She had a firm grip when she shook it, or maybe she was just trying to break his hand off, but at least she was being civil.

"Nice to meet you too." She muttered. "I'm Mikasa Ackerman, Eren's sister."

Ackerman? As in she didn't have Eren's last name. Could she have been born with a different parent? That would explain why they looked nothing alike. Or maybe the two of them had the same relationship as he had with his own little sister.

Levi sighed.

"Eren, is this why you came here in the first place?" Mikasa asked. Eren shook his head and began signing, and Levi internally cursed. He was going to have to pick up sign language, because there was no way he was going to talk to this kid with a notebook for the rest of his life. "Wait, what do you mean you were here Friday? You were grounded."

"Good one..." Levi mumbled under his breath.

"No," Mikasa said. She didn't even sign it, but Eren knew her answer without having to hear it. Eren whined, but Mikasa shook her head. "Eren, no. I don't know him, and I don't think it's a good idea for you to be going out by yourself with him."

"I'm standing right here." Levi uttered.

"I know," Mikasa said and glared at him.

"So stop insinuating that I'm some fucked up rapist. It's insulting and I don't appreciate it." Eren's eyes were darting between his sister and Levi, and he didn't need to hear to know that they were practically growling at each other. He could just feel the anxiety in the air crushing down on him, and he wasn't sure if he should intervene or duck behind one of the tables and hide in fear.

"I never said you were one."

"You didn't need to say it. It's so obvious that you think that way."

"You don't know what I'm thinking." The two of them stepped closer, facing each other and glaring absolute hate through equally cold stares. Eren whined and pulled at Levi's arm, but he wasn't backing down.

"Oh really? If you didn't think I wouldn't mess with Eren, you'd be fine letting him go out with me."

"Anyone can mess with him."

"Anyone who doesn't give a shit. I'm not trying to fuck with him, got it? It's just us going out to the park. We're going to walk, and then we'll go eat at some fast food place. We'll talk, get to know each other, and  _that's it_. That's all we're doing. If you want, you can even give him a curfew and I'll bring him back at that time."

Eren tried prying the two apart, but they were now practically chest to chest, Mikasa trying to tower over Levi even more than she was now.

"This "date" is more like two friends going out to have a good time. Is that okay with you,  _mom?_ " Levi bit out. Eren squeezed himself between the two and held his arms out, hoping to get some distance between them.

"Stop it...!" He yelled, but it sounded more muffled than he was probably intending it to sound. "Don't... Fight…!"

"We aren't fighting, Eren." Mikasa said and signed, but she had her eyes glued to Levi.

"I get out of work at seven tomorrow. Can you trust me enough to bring him back by nine?" Levi asked.

"No," Mikasa hissed. She looked down at Eren, and Eren was flashing his big, eyes at her and sticking out his bottom lip. Mikasa frowned a little longer, but even Levi couldn't resist his pouting face.

"Just say yes so he'll stop." He groaned. Mikasa eventually sighed, the muscles in her face relaxing. Eren knew he won the battle just from that alone.

"He better be back by nine, or I'll have the police on your ass before you can even blink." Mikasa warned, and she signed it to make sure Eren understood. Eren lit up with happiness at the thought of her finally letting him free for a night, and he began jumping around and cheering. Again, Levi was thankful that no one ever came into his bookstore.

"Deal."

* * *

Though the nights could get chilly, this was ridiculous for September. Levi had no choice but to dig into his winter clothes and yank out a heavier jacket, which he was now digging his hands into the pockets of to keep warm while waiting for Eren to leave his house. Mikasa was persistent though, making sure he was completely ready before he left, not to mention that Levi definitely saw something akin to pepper spray being slipped into Eren's jacket pocket. The kid whined and pushed the girl away, but Levi knew it wasn't enough. It wasn't until seven forty-five that she actually relinquished her hold on him and let him go, and Levi was sure that this was her way of buying time.

Regardless, when Eren was free, he was relieved. He already had his notebook ready and waiting to write so they could talk, and the first words he wrote down were simple.

 _"Hi, Levi,"_  The words said. Levi took the pen and paper that was offered to him and wrote down his response.

 _"Hey, brat."_ Simple and easy. Eren rolled his eyes in annoyance, but the smile that was spreading his lips was saying different. He must have been on cloud nine right now with no hopes of coming down, and there was a weird sense of pain to think that he'd have to come down eventually. It was a simple date, going for a walk and eating. He chose a fast food place, because he didn't want to be in a fancy restaurant where there would be pressure. A fancy place would insinuate too much, and Levi didn't want to put that much pressure on either of them.

He was sure he couldn't handle it if Eren took something the wrong way.

 _"So, do you want to eat first?"_ He asked on the paper. Eren nodded his head as the two began walking to Levi's car.

_"I'm starving."_

_"You didn't starve yourself all day for this, right?"_  Levi chuckled as he waited for Eren's response.

_"I had breakfast?"_

_"And what did you eat?"_  Eren hesitated to answer.

_"Eggs?"_

_"And...?"_

_"Okay, it was one hard boiled egg with some salt on it. Sue me."_  Levi rolled his eyes as he got into the driver's seat. Eren may not have been able to hear, which kept him from talking, but his writing spoke volumes for his personality. As Levi and Eren took their seats, Levi felt a tap on his shoulder. Eren was trying to get his attention, and when he had it, Eren held up his notebook.  _"You have a nice car."_

Levi chuckled again as he took pen from him.

 _"Don't be impressed. It's a shitty ass car."_  He wrote down.

 _"It's still a nice car,"_  The kid responded.  _"Where are we going for dinner?"_  He then asked.

 _"Just a quick fast food place. I didn't have anything big planned out beforehand, but your sister took up quite a bit of time just to be sure."_  Once he wrote that down, Levi turned the ignition on. The heat was on full blast, and Levi forgot how cold he was until the heat hit him fast. Even Eren reveled in the heat, letting out a sigh of relief and slight irritation as he continued writing.

 _"Ignore her. She gets very overprotective of me, and it's not worth worrying about for you."_  Levi couldn't reply while he was driving, not unless he wanted to risk both of their lives. No doubt his sister would kill him if he didn't die in the crash. Instead, he kept quiet. Levi kept his eyes on the road, occasionally looking at Eren to see what he was doing.

Eren's golden eyes were everywhere, looking from one thing to the next with a dangerous curiosity. He acted like he had never stepped foot into the outside world, and it was troubling to think that way. Levi would never admit it out loud, and it took a lot to admit it just to himself, but the boy was rather cute in a boyish sort of way. He had a face that would probably make any girl swoon; if only he hadn't been cursed with his lack of hearing. Eren didn't seem to mind, but that could have been a facade. He could have been acting so people wouldn't really see that he was in pain, but one wouldn't know.

Would he possibly find out later? Was Levi even thinking of pursuing something with this kid for that long? He didn't necessarily like him, but he didn't hate him either, and that said a lot for someone like him. Eren was a good kid, and he didn't seem to mind hanging out with Levi.

Hopefully Levi didn't mess that up for him either.

He felt a tap on his shoulder. Levi waited for the next red light before bothering a glance over at Eren. He was holding up his notebook, but Levi noticed the worried expression on the kid's normally happy face before seeing the words on the paper.

 _"Are you okay?"_  The words asked for him.  _"You look upset."_  Levi offered up a nod, because that was all he could do when the light had tuned green. Eren didn't seem very convinced, but he placed his notebook down and continued to watch Levi from the side.

Maybe he would find out later.

* * *

_"So what happened then?"_

_"Connie literally snuck into the girl's bathroom."_

_"Oh God, are you serious?"_

_"Here's the best part. Miss Nanaba was in there!"_

_"Awe man! Why can't I be in public school? I miss out on all of the cool things!"_

_"It's not as fun as you think it is, Eren, trust me."_

_"Well neither is home schooling... I think it would be less boring if Mikasa would just let me go out and have fun with some friends. Hell, I'd even hang out with Jean if it meant I'd be allowed outside."_

_"I don't know if she'd let you do that. If it helps though, I'll see what I can do about getting everyone to go out every few weeks, and if I'm there, Mikasa should let you go."_

_"Thanks, Armin, you're the best."_

Levi couldn't help but read over some of the previous conversations in Eren's notebook while the kid got up to go to the bathroom. Levi was left with more questions each time he met up with Eren though.

He saw firsthand that Armin could use sign language, so why did he choose to write instead of sign? Was it a personal preference for him? Did Armin like writing a lot more than he did signing? It would make sense considering how often he read books.

Levi barely caught a glimpse of Eren coming back in time to turn the page and write something. Eren must have been distracted by everything around him, because he didn't notice Levi do it, and he sat down in his chair to continue eating.

 _"Did you wash your hands?"_ Levi showed the page to Eren, who made a weird face with a French fry hanging from his mouth.

 _"Of course I did. I'm not some disgusting pig."_  Eren replied before stealing a French fry from Levi's tray.

 _"You say that when you've got food hanging out of your mouth."_ Levi smirked when he saw the dumbfounded look that came across Eren's face. Eren swallowed before grinning, and that grin stayed there as he ate and continued to write.

_"So are you really thirty-four?"_

_"Are you really nineteen?"_

_"How did you know I was nineteen?"_

_"Hanji told me."_

_"Hanji is the lady from the bookstore, right?"_  Levi nodded his head as he took a bite from his own meal.

_"Yeah, the crazy one."_

_"I wouldn't say she's crazy."_  Eren's words made Levi frown.

 _"What would you say then?"_  Levi noticed it, and he sometimes wondered if Eren actually noticed it too. He used the word "say" often, as if he was really talking. Did that ever upset him?

_"I would say she's eccentric."_

_"No, she's legally insane, and she doesn't get offended if you say so."_  Levi corrected, making Eren chuckle.

_"Alright, I'll take your word for it. How do you say her name anyway?"_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Like, is her name said with a soft j, or does it sound like a hard j?"_

_"It's like a hard g, and the first part sounds like "on." Hanji."_  Eren tilted his head to the side while reading the words Levi wrote.

"Hanji..." He mumbled and looked up at Levi. "Hanji...?" Levi nodded his head, a little surprised by hearing Eren speak.

He didn't think Eren would try. He didn't know Eren even  _could_. Sure, the kid had been able to talk since he was nine, but a fourth grade education could only take one so far. How much did Eren know? How long did he spend studying to be able to comprehend sound? It was all still a mystery to him.

 _"Perfect,"_  Levi wrote down. Eren smiled before continuing to write.

 _"So where are you from?"_  He asked.

 _"You should be more specific. I'm highly obligated to answer that I'm from my mother's uterus if you don't."_ With Levi's response, Eren scoffed and rolled his eyes.

_"Okay, how about what town, city, or state were you born in?"_

_"Paris, France."_  Levi answered.

 _"Wait, you're French too?"_  Levi nodded his head, rather pleased that he could create such confusion for the poor kid.

_"Yes I am."_

_"Do you have an accent?"_

_"No, I grew out of it. I moved to America when I was eighteen, so it's been awhile since I've had one."_

_"Why did you come here? I mean, was it for a job or something?"_

_"No, I just didn't want to be in France anymore."_  Levi sighed as he handed Eren the pen, but it was obvious that Eren knew that the subject was being pushed.

_"Well... I don't know why you chose America. You could have gone somewhere fun like... I dunno, Korea, Japan, or Ireland; anywhere really. I'd like to go to Hawaii if I was given the opportunity."_

_"You're still in America, dummy."_  Levi replied. Eren's grin provided a satisfactory result as Levi looked at his watch. "Shit..." He cursed.

_"What's wrong?_

_"It's already eight twenty-five. If we want to get to the park, we need to leave now."_  Levi didn't know that so much time had gone by. He thought he'd have more time, but after having to close the bookstore, go home and clean up, go pick up Eren who was then held up for twenty-five minutes because of his sister, time had been utterly wasted away into dwindling minutes.

 _"How far is the park?"_  Eren asked.

_"Ten minutes by car. It may be easier to just ignore the idea of the park though."_

_"There's a park a block from my place. We can go there, and we wouldn't have to worry about time, because we'd only be a block away."_  Eren suggested as Levi began to clean up his food.

_"Are you okay with doing that then?"_

_"Yeah, it's fine."_  Eren stood up with a smile to clean up his mess, but not without writing once more.  _"I like the park by my place anyway."_

* * *

Levi knew of the park Eren had been talking about, though there was one thing he didn't know about, and that was that the park was an actual playground for children.

"Eren..." Levi sighed, but he knew that Eren didn't hear him. Eren bolted for the nearest swing set and took the middle one, one with a blue swing seat. Levi rolled his eyes before joining and pushing at Eren's back, only nudging him forward a little.

The brunette didn't seem interested in actually swinging; it was more like he wanted to just sit, and Levi was fine with that. He sat down in the red swing beside him and looked down at the dirt, trying to remember the last time he had done this sort of thing. Nothing came to mind.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled. It took a lot from Levi to keep himself from snapping; if he was paid a quarter for the amount of times he'd been called "Levy" when he was younger, it would make him a rich man in minutes. Of course he knew that Eren didn't know any better, but that didn't make it any less annoying.

"Hm...?" Eren pulled his notebook into his lap to write down what it was he needed to say.

 _"Why did you decide to go out with me?"_  When Levi read the words, they didn't quite make sense. At first he thought that it was because Eren was confused, but then he realized it was because he didn't know the answer himself. Why did he say yes? Why did he agree to go on this date with him in the first place? The answer was completely oblivious to him, and for an answer, all Levi could do was shrug his shoulders.

He stood up and walked over to Eren, giving him a few light pushes to get him going, but Eren didn't bother trying to go higher. He simply let himself be pushed until another question rose up in his head.

 _"Was it because I really am an easy target?"_ He questioned. Levi's eyes looked from the notebook to Eren before he shook his head. When had he gotten so close?

The swing stopped moving. Indeed; when had they gotten so close? The fog from Eren's breath was able to fan against his face, and his eyes wouldn't stop looking at him; those big, incessant, gold eyes.

 _"What is this...?"_  Levi wondered through the thick fog that was his mind right now. He felt a small tug on his jacket and looked down to see Eren's hand hanging loosely off of his coat pocket. He cleared his throat and stepped back, breaking the space between them and looking down at his watch. He motioned to a very confused Eren for the notebook, and Eren handed it to him in a daze. Levi made quick work to write down what it was he needed to say, and he handed it back to brunette before the kid could question anything.

 _"We need to get you back."_  The words on the paper said. Eren nodded his head and stood, his gaze now averted to the ground where it stayed. He didn't bother to write anything down, and Levi knew that this was his way of admitting that he didn't have anything to say, which was good. He didn't have anything to say either.

They didn't bother getting into his car. They were a block away, and at least then they could get their walk in. It was completely silent, minus Eren's nose when he sniffled every few minutes. When they got the chance to stop in front of his house, Levi pulled out a small packet of tissues his winter jacket miraculously had. He gave one to Eren, and he smiled and shook his head.

 _"I'm okay."_  He wrote down on his notebook.  _"Thank you though... Tonight was nice."_

Well, Levi wasn't looking for a mind blowing date. Like he said to Eren's sister, it was more like two friends going out for a good time. It took a lot of the pressure off of their shoulders that a real date would cause, and he could breathe easier tonight knowing it was over.

But did he want it to be over?

_"Glad you had fun."_

_"Maybe we can have fun again next time?"_

Was Levi reading that right? Was Eren hoping for another date? Was he actually asking for one, and was Levi actually thinking of agreeing to it?

 _"It doesn't sound like a bad idea."_  He was. He was actually agreeing to another date. He wasn't drunk, was he?

_"I should go inside. Mikasa is probably watching us through the window."_

_"That would be a good idea."_  Levi gave Eren his pen and notebook back, and Eren forced them back into his book bag. He waved Levi off, and Levi lingered to make sure Eren got in safely. Eren opened his front door, but before that, Eren looked back at him.

Before Levi knew what happened, Eren abandoned his post at his door to stand beside him. Levi was about to question him before Eren grabbed at the buttons of his jacket and pulled. Soft lips were against his cheek, and Levi's grey eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't even comprehend the fact that Eren had kissed his cheek before Eren pulled away, a big, goofy grin spreading his lips from ear to ear and his cheeks a dark red color.

"You better hope that Mikasa didn't see that!" Levi lifted his head to the sound of the voice, and Eren followed his gaze, seeing Armin leaning against his windowsill with a smirk on his lips. Eren whined and pulled the pepper spray from his pocket (Levi knew that was what he saw), and chucked it at him. Armin ducked from his window to avoid getting hit, and he laughed as he came back to look at the two.

While Eren continued to argue with Armin in his unintelligible cursing that only the blond seemed to understand, Levi simply stood stalk still, frozen as the thoughts from before slowly caught up with him. He cheek was warm from the previous touch of Eren's lips, and he knew that he was faintly blushing like some school girl with a massive crush on a student in a higher grade, which was more annoying than anything at this moment. He buried his face as far down into his scarf as he could, trying to hide the evidence before anyone saw, but he knew better.

Well, the night wasn't a total loss after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww, more fluffles to come. XD  
> Thank you to everyone for all of the kudos and reviews! I love them all so much! *tears of joy*


	5. Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you pay close attention, you can see plot forming... Oh God. Okay, I'm going to bed now. XD

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things _at all_. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter Five: Once** **  
**

* * *

After that, Eren came to the bookstore on a regular basis; however, he wasn't alone. Because Mikasa learned of his playing hooky, she wouldn't let him leave without someone. Levi didn't know the full story, but apparently it took a lot of convincing to get her to let him back out to the store. She eventually said he could go, but only if Armin was with him.

Of course the blond agreed, because a kid like him wouldn't disagree to the opportunity to spend time in a bookstore; however, Armin also had a job, so Eren could only go once or twice a week.

Still, this was something. Eren wanted to spend more time with him, and he would whine and complain that it wasn't enough, but Levi told him to focus on school instead of the store, and, when he was allowed to come, he could spend time with him. Levi didn't want to piss off Mikasa to the point where she'd keep Eren from coming at all, so he had to play nice, even though he didn't want to.

And he really didn't want to.

Those few days a week became weeks, making another month pass; Levi felt like he had gotten whiplash from how fast it went by. Eren had come by a total of seven times that month, and Levi knew that not because he was counting, but because Eren was and told him so.

Levi was internally amused by the kid and his enthusiasm, and he also felt bad for the poor kid. He couldn't imagine what it was like to be forced in his house all of the time. He couldn't imagine why Eren liked him so much, but if it got him out of the house, then at least he was doing something for him.

"Look!" Levi lifted his head from his book and looked over to where Eren and Armin were. Eren lifted up a book to Armin who leaned over slightly from the ladder to see it. The poor kid was too short to reach the top of the bookcase, and he refused Eren and Hanji's offer of help multiple times already.

"What kind of bug is that?" Armin asked.

"Would you two keep it down over there?" Levi asked. The two boys grinned, and Eren left the table with the book in hand to show Levi.

"Levy," He called out to him and placed the book in front of him.

"Hm...?" Eren pointed to the picture in the book frantically, making noises to get his attention. Levi looked inside the book to see the supposed bug they were talking about, and Eren fished around for the notepad and pens.

 _"What is that thing?"_  He asked once he found what he needed to write with.

 _"It's a panda ant."_  Levi answered.

"Panda ant?" Eren asked out loud.

_"Despite its name, it's a wasp with the colors of a panda on its... Fur? Whatever the fuck that shit on it is. It's just a wasp."_

"Armin!" Eren yelled, and Levi groaned. Eren really had no idea how loud he could get.

"What...?" Armin asked and signed.

"A panda ant!" Eren cheered and ran back over to him with the book.

"A panda ant?" Armin questioned and looked at Levi.

"It's a wasp with black and white fur." Levi said and stepped away from the counter.

"It's so adorable..." Armin mumbled and laughed. "I wonder if they eat bamboo like pandas. What do you think they eat?"

"Little kids who keep pulling on the bookshelf. Get down before you pull the whole shelf to the ground with you under it." Levi commanded. Armin looked back to realize that he had indeed been holding onto the shelf, and every time he moved forward, he yanked on the fragile wood. He yipped with fear and jumped down from the ladder, making Eren laugh at him.

 _"Do you think there are any more books on this bug?"_  Eren asked with the notepad.

"I'm sure there are if we looked. If we figured out what its technical name is, we could look it up by name." Armin answered out loud while signing. Levi made a mental note to later question Eren or Armin about that.

Eren tugged at Levi's shirt sleeve to catch his attention, and when he had it, Eren continued to write on the notepad.

 _"Can you help me find one?"_ Eren asked.

 _"Seriously? That's a pain in the ass, Eren."_ Levi wrote down.

"Please?" Eren asked, and he accompanied the please with big, watery eyes and a trembling bottom lip to complete the look. Levi rolled his eyes before motioning for Eren to follow him, which he did with a sound of victory. Levi walked to the back part of the store, eyes scanning the books until they hit the children's section. If one wanted to find information on bugs, for some ungodly reason, the books were in the children's section. It didn't make sense, and even though it was his book store, someone higher up owned it, so that's how it stayed.

"Okay, so stupid ant book, stupid ant book..." Levi mumbled as he began scanning through the books. Eren took a seat on one of the steps to the step ladder no more than a foot away from the older man grumbling under his breath. He was uttering something about how the kid wanted help finding a book, yet he was the one doing all of the work while Eren sat on his lazy ass and wrote in his notebook. "Books on pandas, books on ants... Maybe I should look at wasps instead..." He mumbled to himself.

There was a light tap on his shoulder, and Levi tore his gaze from the extensive amount of books to look at the cause. Eren had poked at him with the end of his notebook, and Levi was prepared to swat it away with an irritated click of his tongue until he noticed the fresh writing on the blank page. He looked at Eren cautiously, and the boy nudged at him again, prompting Levi to take the notebook and read the words. So he did.

 _"I kind of lied..."_  The words said.

"What do-" Levi was prepared to ask, but Eren stopped him by pressing a hand into his lips, silencing any further questions.

 _"Since this agreement, Armin has been with me this entire time, and I haven't had one moment alone with you, so I was trying to find a way to get to talk to you in private."_  Oh, so that's what Eren lied about.  _"I was just looking for the opportunity to talk to you."_

 _"You need to talk to me about something?"_ Levi questioned. Eren nodded his head and began writing, but his hand stalled on one word.

 _"About..."_ Levi pressed his hand into Eren's, attempting to get the brunette writing again, but he didn't miss the subtle jump in the kid's muscles at the touch.  _"About what happened... When we went on our date..."_ Eren's hand was barely grasping the pen as he handed it to Levi, and as Levi took it, he saw the heavy blush on his normally tan cheeks.

 _"Are you talking about the park?"_  Levi asked. He gave Eren his pen back, and Eren practically jumped again at the way their fingers lightly brushed together.

 _"That too... I meant when I..."_  Eren hesitated. " _... When I kissed your cheek."_

Well, if Levi wasn't dumbfounded before, he was now.

_"What about that...?"_

_"I just..."_ Eren looked away for a moment, his cheeks turning a shade darker in embarrassment.  _"Wanted to apologize..."_

 _"Apologize...? Apologize for what?"_  Levi truly didn't understand.

_"When I finally got the chance to come see you again, you seemed really upset. I thought that maybe what I did upset you or made you angry, and I wanted to apologize and say I was sorry. I really like you, and I don't want to ruin everything because of one kiss on your cheek."_

So he had seen it. It was true, when Eren got to see him a week later, he did try to avoid him, but only because he was confused. He thought he was acting like his usual self, but Hanji had said otherwise, and apparently Eren noticed his unusual behavior as well.

Levi sighed. If only Eren knew. If only he knew that this was just as confusing for him as it was for Eren. Levi never did the whole dating thing "properly" even though he did it twice, so the idea of "relationships" didn't click right for him.

If only Eren knew.

 _"You thought I was upset?"_  Levi asked on the paper. Eren slowly nodded his head, gold eyes adverted to the floor in embarrassment.  _"Listen, Eren, you don't need to apologize. I wasn't angry with you."_

_"Upset then...?"_

_"No, I wasn't anything. I'm not upset with you, okay?"_  When Eren didn't respond, Levi clicked his tongue and forced Eren's head up so he could find his eyes. Eren squeaked a small sound of surprise, and Levi glared at him, an almost mother-like glare that would make any child tell the truth or kill them with their own shame. Eren whined and nodded his head, his hand grabbing for the pen in Levi's hand.

_"Don't do that."_

_"Don't do what?"_

_"Don't look at me that way."_  Eren made another small sound in his throat.  _"I get... Very confused when you do that."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"I mean... My heart beats really fast and I feel like my vision is blurry. I've never felt like this before, and I... I know it's because you look at me that way."_

_"I didn't know I did that to you."_

_"You do!"_ Eren looked to the ground with a huff, but knowing how he felt about this, Levi forced his head back up. He met Eren's eyes, not intending to look at him in any certain way, but it didn't seem to work. He saw the way Eren's cheeks flushed, how his pupils dilated considerably, and how Eren's breath barely caressed his face. Eren pulled back and shook his head to get rid of the blush, his fingers tightening around his notebook.  _"Can I try again?"_  He asked on the paper.

Levi shook his head and shrugged his shoulders, his silent way of telling Eren that he didn't understand what he meant.

 _"Can I try kissing you again?"_ He asked. Levi felt an odd sort of shiver go down his spine at the words. He moved to respond, but the pen began writing again.  _"Just this once, only this time... Can I try it on your lips?"_

He certainly was a blunt kid. That was for sure.

Levi knew he was blushing, even if it was barely noticeable. He cleared his throat, eyes looking down at the floor and then back to the words. He eventually looked up at him again, and Eren's eyes were so persistent and determined that it was a little derailing.

He hadn't had someone look at him like that in a long time. It wasn't even because someone wanted to kiss him; no, it was just the determination. That wasn't to say that Levi hadn't kissed anybody before, even though he hadn't. The closest thing he ever got to kissing was one peck on the cheek, but he couldn't remember who that was other than Eren, whether it was a relative or a friend.

That's right. Even at thirty-four, Levi hadn't had one kiss to his lips yet. He wouldn't walk around like a child and say that he hasn't had a "first kiss" yet, but that was precisely the case. He'd never kissed anyone, and no one had ever kissed him, and the idea of suddenly giving that opportunity to Eren had him feeling an odd flutter in his chest that didn't seem to go away. Obviously his discomfort showed, because Eren was quickly writing in his notebook to make up for what he said.

 _"Only if you won't get upset with me, of course! If it upsets you, I won't do it, I was just curious, and I-"_ Levi stopped Eren's incessant writing by taking the pen from him and writing his answer down.

 _"Shut up, brat. It wouldn't upset me."_  Levi wrote. Eren looked up at him through his bangs, his cheeks red, though Levi wasn't sure of what anymore. It was probably the same thing that was causing Levi's cheeks to flush a level darker now, which was more obvious with his pale skin.  _"Just once, got it?"_

At the words written down, Eren frantically nodded his head, a small sound leaving him in agreement.

"Okay..." He mumbled. Levi quietly groaned for a moment before touching the back of Eren's head, making him lift it. Eren's lips barely parted on a silent gasp, his hands grabbing at the front of Levi's shirt to hold onto him like a lifeline while the notebook fell to the ground. Levi's hand relaxed, fingers untangling themselves from his soft, brown hair to slip to his cheek. Eren quietly sighed, and the breath was soft against Levi's lips as he moved forward.

"Hey, Eren!" Levi jumped back at the sound of Armin's voice calling out for his friend, ultimately spooking Eren in the process. He quickly cleared his throat and tried to calm the redness in his cheeks before the kid could find them.

"He's over here with me!" Levi called out. He quickly picked up the notebook that had fallen and wrote his explanation in it, which was quick and simple for fear of being caught by the blond.  _"Armin is coming."_  He wrote.

Just as he gave Eren his pen back, Armin appeared from behind one of the shelves.

"Ah, there you are." He said with a smile and signed. "Mikasa just texted me. She wants us home early for dinner." He explained.

"Oh..." Eren mumbled. He stood up from the ladder step and wrote in his book.  _"Sorry..."_  The writing said, but the notebook was turned only in Levi's direction so he could be the only one to read it. Levi rolled his eyes at the kid and pushed at his back, making him walk forward. Eren began signing to his friend, and the blond replied with a smile.

"She got Chinese food for dinner." He answered. "And yes, she got you soda this time." Levi followed the two as they made their way back to their table. They collected their things, and Eren lingered as Armin moved ahead to warm up their car. Eren looked at Levi, a frown on his lips, though the blush still remained. Levi sighed and patted his back, to which Eren began writing in his notebook.

 _"And you aren't mad...?"_  He asked. Levi nodded his head and took the pen from him.

 _"Not even close."_ Levi looked up at the kid, momentarily cursing at him for being so tall (or maybe at himself for being so short), but it didn't last long. Eren leaned down and kissed Levi's cheek once again, his lips lingering for a moment longer than the first kiss did. When he pulled away, his cheeks were the darkest shade of red they had turned all day, and Eren was starting to resemble a tomato.

"Bye Levy..." He said softly. Levi felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips as he nodded his head, watching Eren turn to leave.

He could definitely get used to that nickname.


	6. Beg

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffles... In the next chapter. XD

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

**Chapter Six: Beg** **  
**

* * *

_"Please Mikasa!"_

"I said no, Eren!"

Armin made a low sound within his throat, watching the two siblings exchange arguments back and forth. They hadn't had such an argument like this since Eren threatened to set Mikasa up on a date with their friend, Jean, and that one lasted a good solid hour. However,  _this time_ , Eren was adamant about his resolution, and he wasn't giving in. The two had been at each other's throats all day, and the arguments just kept getting worse.

"Hey, guys-"

 _"Mikasa, I'm not some kid! I'm perfectly capable of handling myself! Why can't you just trust me for once?"_  Eren signed with a stomp of his foot and a grunt.

"It's not you, Eren! I trust  _you,_  but I don't trust  _him!_ " Mikasa was referring to Levi, who Eren hadn't seen since last week after the incident of the attempted kiss (the one Mikasa knew  _nothing_  about).

 _"Mikasa, I'm telling you that he isn't going to hurt me. I really like him, and I think he likes me too."_ Mikasa felt slightly disgusted by the way Eren's cheeks flushed a darker shade.

"You  _think_  he likes you? You mean you don't know how he feels?" Mikasa countered with.

_"Don't do that, Mikasa! If you'd let me see him more often, I'd know for sure how he felt about me by now!"_

"Eren, no." Mikasa turned away to go back into the kitchen, to continue cooking the meal she had been working with before Eren started this up again from when she got home from work.

She just couldn't get a break with him. Since Eren met Levi, it had been nothing but him, and Eren had been more rebellious since then. He wanted to see Levi more often, and when Armin was working and she was free, Eren would beg for her to take him to see the older man. She never did of course, because after a full week of college and work, one day off was too much of an opportunity to waste at a book store where her brother was flirting with some guy.

It was a constant battle, and she was growing more and more tired with each passing day.

"Mikasa," Eren grabbed at Mikasa's shoulders and pulled, trying to get her attention back on him.  _"You don't understand! He's a good guy,_ _I'm telling you!"_

"Eren, you never know."

 _"Ask Armin then! He's been with us the entire time, so he knows Levi! He'll stand up for me!"_  Eren signed and pointed back to the blond. Armin's blue eyes widened considerably, and he hopped off of the table to step into the room.

"Eren, don't bring me into this." Armin warned, but it was already too late.

 _"Please, Armin, tell her! Please?"_  Eren begged. Armin whimpered again; he was using that kicked-puppy look to get what he wanted.  _"He's a good guy, right?"_

"Well..." Armin began and sighed. "He's okay, I guess..."

"Just okay?" Mikasa asked.

"Yeah, I mean... He doesn't seem very sociable, and he doesn't talk about himself much, but he seems to like Eren to a certain degree. Levi seems like the type who doesn't easily tolerate people, but he's fine with Eren. Doesn't that say something?"

"Not much to me." Mikasa muttered.

"Please," Eren begged.  _"Please, I just want to go out with him. I can come back again in two hours if you want, and I'll have that stupid pepper spray on me-"_

"Eren, enough." Mikasa warned while turning her whole body. This was her way of saying that the conversation was over, that her answer was final, and she wasn't going to change it.

"Mikasa-"

"No."

"Mikasa," Armin sighed. Eren's sister looked over her shoulder, glaring daggers at the boy. She was silently threatening him; no,  _daring_  him to bring up the topic again. Armin felt a terrible pit in his stomach, but he knew that she wouldn't actually do anything to hurt them. The best she could do was ground them, and for some reason they followed along like she was their mother.

How annoying.

"What...?"

"Let Eren go out." Needless to say, the two siblings were dumbfounded. Eren was grateful nonetheless, but it was utterly surprising. Armin was a peacekeeper, one who stayed on the side lines, and he only ever took sides once in the time that Eren had known him. Eren remembered it specifically, because it was his decision to stay with him and Mikasa after he was offered a place to go to college that was too far away for his liking.

Eren could never fathom why the blond said no, because it had been Armin's dream to travel. For Armin to respectfully decline and stay with them was beyond his comprehension.

Regardless, Armin never took sides. When it came to the two of them, Armin tried his best to stop their arguments. For him to suddenly go against Mikasa; was he asking for a death wish?

"What...?"

"Eren's dying of boredom here, and he is learning a thing or two hanging out in that library."

"This wouldn't be at the bookstore, Armin." Mikasa practically hissed his name, and Eren could tell it was unsettling just by seeing Armin's reaction. "He's asking to go out with the guy again to somewhere we don't know about for God knows how long."

"Mikasa," Armin didn't bother signing. He stuffed a hand into his pocket, the other motioning for Mikasa to follow him. She did, and Eren was left standing in the kitchen alone with Mikasa's food on the stove.

He hated it when they did this.

He knew that the two left so they could discuss this by themselves. They wouldn't sign to each other, leaving him in the dark, and with them not in the room he couldn't give lip reading a try.

He hated it when he was reminded of his handicap.

Eren slipped over to the hallway where they had gone to and peeked in. He saw the two of them arguing, or yelling more than arguing. Mikasa was pissed, and Armin was trying to calm down, but that was all Eren could tell. He couldn't hear what it was they were saying, if Armin was talking sense into her or if she was beating him down.

He couldn't tell, and he hated it so much.

"He'll be fine!"

"You don't know that. What if- to the-?" Reading lips could only get him so far, and it wasn't helping him any here. He could barely get a word in, and with how fast they were talking, it was a surprise that he got as much as he did.

Eren looked away and left the room. He got out of the house, because at least that way he could breathe fresh air, even if it was cold. He didn't bother putting shoes or a jacket on, because he only sat on the porch steps, but, after a while, he wished he had. He wanted to go back inside to at least get a coat, but he didn't want to run the risk of seeing his only family fighting. It was extremely uncomfortable for him, and he didn't want to cause any more trouble than he already had.

It was ridiculously cold, and he cuddled into himself for warmth. He settled his knees against his chest, his feet crunching the autumn leaves under them. He only knew that because he felt it, not because he heard it.

Why was it so difficult for him? Why couldn't he just hear like everyone else in the world? Maybe then his life wouldn't be so difficult. Maybe then Mikasa wouldn't treat him like a child, and maybe then he could go on one harmless date with someone he actually  _liked_. It was hard enough trying to make friends, but to date someone was another subject entirely. This was something new to him, new and exciting, and he wanted to experience it for himself.

He just wanted to be normal. Why was that so hard for everyone to understand?

There were vibrations behind him. Eren sighed and waited for whoever it was to sit down beside him, and so they did. He looked to the side to see Armin taking a seat beside him, a blanket in his hands that he threw over Eren's shoulders. Eren signed his thank you to him, and Armin smiled and nodded his head.

 _"I talked to Mikasa. She's says it's okay for you to go on a date with Levi again."_ Armin signed for him. Eren smiled, but it was bitter and utterly lacking in happiness. Armin had seen clowns with better smiles, and their smiles were painted on.  _"What's wrong?"_  Armin asked once he saw the anxiety in Eren's eyes.

 _"I hate it when you two fight."_ Eren signed and looked out to the street.

 _"Eren, it's okay. People are obligated to fight every now and again. You and Mikasa do it all of the time. It just means that your relationship is healthy."_  He had to admit that the joke brought something akin to a smile on Eren's cheeks, but remembering that Eren and Mikasa's relationship was far from healthy only made his smile weak. His muscles tightened, a barely visible gesture, but it was a minimal  _something_  to his friend.

 _"I just don't like it."_  He explained.

_"I know, Eren, I know. If it makes you feel any better, neither of us is upset. You don't need to be anxious or worried about how we feel; you'll make yourself sick doing that."_

_"I can't help it. Don't you ever feel that way?"_

_"Every time I see you and Mikasa fight,"_ Armin sighed and scooted closer to his friend, sneaking his way under the blanket for warmth, but Eren was more than willing to share with him and cover him up.

_"I don't mean to upset you... I just get so..."_

_"Cornered?"_ Armin asked.

_"Yeah..."_

_"I can imagine..."_  Armin lifted his head up to look at the stars in the sky. Eren followed his lead, and the two watched the cloudless sky and the stars in awe. It was silent for a few minutes, and it only broke when Armin lifted his hand to sign.  _"Dinner is ready inside. Ready to eat?"_

 _"I don't know if I can face Mikasa right now."_ Eren signed and looked away from the sky. Just the idea of having to see Mikasa let alone have a possible conversation with her made his stomach twist in knots.

 _"You know what they say Eren. When you fall off of a horse, you have to get right back on."_ Armin rein-cited and he stood up, letting the blanket drop from his body. Eren shivered when the cold met the warm part of his body that Armin once was, and he huddled back into the blanket to stay warm.

_"I don't know what that means."_

_"It means that when you're afraid of something you love, you need to face it head on, or you'll be afraid of it for the rest of your life."_  Armin said.  _"If I seriously stayed afraid of books, I would never love them as much as I do now."_

_"Armin. It was a paperweight book that fell on your head after the wind knocked it off of the windowsill."_

_"Hey, it was still traumatizing!"_  Armin whined as the two made their way inside.

 _"So was the dead mouse I found in my shoe, but you don't see me walking around with just a pair of socks on!"_  Eren teased. Armin groaned and trudged down the hallway, disappearing behind the archway to the kitchen. Eren looked inside, and Mikasa was already setting the table, the food out and looking delicious.

When Mikasa cooked, she surely went all out.

"Everything looks great, Mikasa." Armin said as he sat down at his usual chair. Mikasa nodded her head, her usual apathetic expression set on her face, one that was normal for her when she and Eren weren't in a bitter rivalry. She looked up to see Eren standing in the archway, looking at the floor and nervously shifting his feet back and forth.

Mikasa sighed and smiled as she walked over to her brother. Seeing her legs prompted Eren to lift his head, watching her lifting her arms out for him. Eren gladly accepted the hug, softly laying his head down on his sister's shoulder and sighing quietly in her warm embrace. He vaguely felt the vibrations of her heart beating within her chest, and the sensation easily soothed his raged nerves.

When he felt a little nudge at his side, he regretfully lifted his head.  
Mikasa stood back a little and motioned to him with her hand. She placed it over her chest and rubbed, her apology serious by the look of regret on her face. Eren nodded his head and placed it down on her shoulder again.

"It's okay..."

* * *

Levi rubbed at his eyes, a groan escaping him in irritation. He bothered to look up from his book, only to find it pitch black outside. He chanced a glance at the clock, and he cursed to himself as he shut his book.

"Fuck, when did it get so late?" He questioned himself and slipped his book under the counter. "Tomorrow then..." He patted the book and sighed as he walked back to the office.

The door was cracked open, and when he looked inside, Hanji was out cold, sitting upright in his chair with her boot-covered feet on his desk. He internally grimaced as he walked over to her, picking up the fallen books on the floor that she had been reading. Leave it to her to read six lengthy books in one day; Levi could barely handle just one. He set the books aside on his desk and looked at her.

Regardless of her energetic personality when she was awake, her sleeping form was much like when she was awake; sprawled in all sorts of odd positions with drools hanging at the corners of her mouth, probably from excitement. What could she possibly dream about now that she didn't think of when she was awake? Wasn't it enough during the day to give her a peaceful night's sleep, unless this is what she called peaceful.

"Hanji!" Levi yelled at the top of his lungs. Hanji suddenly startled from her sleep, her legs kicking her away from the desk and knocking her to the floor where the books no longer lay. Levi then wondered if those books were there to break her fall in case something like that were to happen, but he didn't necessarily care at the moment. She was still making a mess.

"Oh shit, was that you, Levi?" She asked as she sat up, rubbing the small of her back from the impact.

"Yeah, you're sleeping on my shit." Levi growled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Wow, I didn't know you could get that loud." She mused and stood up. As if the situation never happened, Hanji stretched her arms over her head, sighing when her back cracked in all of the right places. " _Hmm,_  what time is it?"

"Time for you to get a fucking watch."

"Really, Levi...? That's an old line."

"I'm an old man." Levi muttered as he picked up the chair she fell out of. "It's past eight, so we're open late. We need to go."

"Oh boy," The women mused and sauntered out of the office.

"Oh sure, leave me with your shit." Levi growled out.

"My revenge for you waking me up!" Hanji hollered from the store. Levi rolled his eyes and glanced at his desk, making sure nothing he needed was there. Usually nothing ever was, but there was something different this time.

"Hey, Hanji," Levi called out.

"Yes...?" Hanji poked her head back into the room, watching Levi pick up the little sticky note that was sitting against the office phone.

"What's this number?" He asked.

"Armin called earlier today. He said that was Eren's cell number, so text him when you're ready for another date." Hanji recalled the exact words the boy had said, and with that, she left the room again. This gave Levi some alone time to think about this.

This was Eren's cell number, and he had been given permission to text Eren. He momentarily thought it'd be polite to call him, but remembering that he couldn't hear, he thought against it. Why his own sister tried to call him in the first place was beyond his understanding.

However, the ball was now in Levi's court so to speak. He could take the bait and ask Eren when he'd be free for another date, or he could crumble the number up, throw it out, and act like this never happened. He never intended for things to get this far, and they weren't that far at all. It was still early, early enough to where he could simply say no and end it, but did he really want to? Eren was interesting, and it wasn't often when someone had the galls to stand up to him and yell. Eren was nowhere near normal, but maybe that's why he liked the kid, because everyone in the world was the same, and he stood out unlike any other.

Levi sighed. He pulled his phone out from his pocket and quickly dialed the number on the paper.

 _"Hey, is this Eren's number?"_  He typed out and hit send. Just as his finger hit the button, his body froze. The message sent in seconds, and this left him questioning his decision. He hadn't thought everything through, and now it was too late.

"Levi, are you coming or what?" Hanji called out from the store. Levi stuffed his phone back into his pocket and tore up the note to throw away. He then shut off all of the lights in the office and locked the door.

"Coming," Levi said. Hanji offered his coat to him, and Levi took it and pulled it on quickly. It was getting too cold not to wear it. "Hey, can I ask a favor of you...?" He suddenly asked.

"Of course, anything for you. What do you need?" Hanji asked. Levi lingered on his question, remaining quiet as the two of them walked out of the store. Levi locked the doors, his head falling to rest against the cold glass, and Hanji hummed in confusion. "Levi...?"

"... Would you be willing to teach me sign language?" Levi asked, his breath a dense fog in the cold weather.

"Huh...?" She uttered in surprise. Levi stayed quiet, because he knew that her brain would form the correct response soon enough, and it did, though he was utterly terrified by the grin that spread her lips.

"Stop it."

"Sure, I can teach you, but I  _am_  curious. This doesn't have anything to do with Eren, does it?" She asked and chuckled when Levi rolled his eyes.

"It could be useful in the near future." Bad choice of words.

"So you  _do_  plan on seeing him again; I knew it." Hanji twirled on her feet and cheered in happiness, but Levi didn't see why. She wasn't the one with a date.

"Stop it, Hanji. I just want to talk to the kid without the use of a notebook, that's it." Levi groaned. Hanji continued to giggle and cheer behind him when Levi felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at it, seeing the new number he had written out a few minutes prior.

_Eight fifteen p.m.:_

_"Yeah, who's this?"_

Levi sighed as he began typing. His only response was his name, and he hit send with the feeling of his heart fluttering afterwards. Little did he know that he wasn't the only one reacting so erratically; Eren was on his end jumping up and down on his bed at the thought that Levi had texted him.

"So will you do it or not?" Levi looked away from his phone and asked, but he was surprised by Hanji's face right by his, her eyes looking down at his phone. "Hanji!"

"Who are you talking to?" She asked as Levi stepped back.

"It's none of your Goddamn business." Levi growled and shoved his phone into his pocket. "Are you going to help me or not? Because I'll find someone else to teach me if you don't." He threatened and started walking to his car.

"No, no, I'll teach you. I have no problems with that." Hanji insisted with a grin. She walked over to her car and waved, and Levi rolled his eyes and turned to his own car to ignore her. "Tell Eren I said 'hi'!" Hanji yelled back at him before jumping into her car.

Levi scoffed as he got inside of his shitty car and turned it on to warm it up. It was freezing, and he hated it that his car took ten minutes before anything resembling hot air came out of the vents.

"I need a new fucking car." He grumbled to himself and leaned his head back into the seat. His phone went off in his pocket, and Levi momentarily forgot that he had been talking to Eren in the first place. He pulled out his phone to look at it, only to temporarily be blinded by the bright screen.

_Eight eighteen p.m.:_

_"How did you get my number? Not that it's a bad thing or anything like that, I was just confused..."_

Levi rolled his eyes. Even over a text message, the kid could ramble.

 _"Your little friend, Arlert, ratted you out. He left your number and told me to text you and ask about another date."_  Levi hit send and leaned back again. He needed to get home and wash up before he fell asleep in his car. "Wouldn't be the first time though..." He muttered to himself. He was surprised by the phone going off again; Eren must have been fast at typying, because his message wasn't even a minute later.

_Eight nineteen p.m.:_

_"Wait, a date? You mean soon?"_

Levi's response was less than obvious.

 _"No, ten years from now."_  Levi hit send and continued to type.  _"I was talking about sometime this week, maybe Thursday again. I have off that day and Hanji is running the store, so we can do something earlier."_

Levi was tired of waiting for his car to warm up. With his seat belt securely fastened and his car in gear, he went straight there. He cursed at the red lights and the idiot drivers nearby, and he nearly flipped one off had it not been for the cop off to the side. He was just glad he didn't live so far away, or he'd have no choice but to speed. He couldn't afford another speeding ticket.

Truly. He could barely afford to feed himself.

When he got home, it was no surprise that there was a text from Eren. There was one from Hanji, and he decided against reading that first.

_Eight twenty-six p.m.:_

_"That'd be great! I usually finish my schoolwork at eleven, so anything after that is fine."_

Levi sighed, somehow relieved that Eren had said yes.

_"Thursday it is then. How does one sound?"_

Levi got out of his car and made his way to his apartment. He hated the place, but after a full day of mind numbing reading, the place was heaven, and his front door was heaven's gate. Upon opening the door, the clean and spotless apartment was a sight for his sore eyes. He made a b-line straight for his bed, and he didn't even bother changing into his pajamas. He stripped down until he was only in his undergarments and dropped to his bed. Of course he had his phone with him, and the thing buzzed twice while he was getting undressed, so it was only necessary to check his messages before passing out.

_Eight thirty p.m.:_

_"Sounds good. What are we going to do?"_

Levi sighed.

_"I hadn't really thought about it. You pick what you want to do and I'll go along with it. For now, I'm going to bed."_

If Eren wasn't so fast at texting, Levi would have been out like a light, but the buzzing in his hand was only a minor distract.

_Eight thirty-one p.m.:_

_"Okay. Sleep well, Levi."_

Levi's lips barely spread in a tired smile as he replied

 _"You too, brat."_ After hitting send, Levi was reminded that Hanji had sent him something. Levi knew that the chances of it being something really dumb and off topic were very high, but he had to check just in case.

The message was a photo with text under it. Levi remembered falling asleep at some point during the day, and Hanji had taken liberty to take a picture of his sleeping face with his books under him, one page stuck against his skin from sitting there so long. Levi's eyes twitched, and he was very afraid of what he was about to read.

_"I took the liberty of saving Eren's number in my phone. I'll send this to him in the morning. Ugh! You are too cute!"_

"I'm gonna kill her..." Levi grumbled, but he was too tired to truly care at the moment.


	7. The Stories Behind the Drawings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are awesome. Just wanted to say that. ^^

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

**Chapter Seven: The Stories behind the Drawings** **  
**

* * *

That morning, for the first time in years, maybe even the first time in his life, Eren woke up with bounding energy.

He scurried about his room, juggling with finishing his damned homework and doing the chores Mikasa asked him to do, which consisted of taking out the trash and doing the dishes from dinner the night before. He took care of those first, just to get them out of the way, and then got straight to work with his schoolwork. It took a lot of coaxing just from himself to get working on it. If he didn't finish it on time, Mikasa would surely have his head. She specifically said that all of his work must be done before going anywhere. He couldn't risk pissing her off and having her permanently banning him from seeing Levi.

He was just so excited though. Not only was he allowed on a date with him, but Mikasa wasn't there, and she wouldn't be home until four. She couldn't keep him for an extra half an hour and she wasn't there to stuff pepper spray into his pocket and tell him to kick Levi between the legs if he tried anything. She was at school, and she couldn't necessarily leave to be there at one in the afternoon. Well, she could, but she would get in trouble, which she didn't want to do.

What could they possibly do for three hours? Would they spend the full three hours together, or would it be just another short walk and a fast food meal? Whichever one it was he didn't really care, he was just excited to get out of the house and see Levi.

So Eren blasted through his schoolwork like a mad man. What normally took him four or five hours to get done he did in two. It was met with no resistance and little whining, which Eren considered a serious achievement that day. When he was done and saw how much time he had left, the rest of his time was spent doing his chores, showering and trying to figure out what to wear. Obviously he needed something warm, but Eren didn't really do "fashion" in a way that would make him look good and keep him warm. Would Levi try to dress in a fancy way this time? He didn't last time, unless the white button up shirt with the first few buttons undone and black jeans were his way of dressing nice for an occasion.

Eren groaned as he flopped onto the pile of clothes on his bed. Before Levi he never cared for what he would wear or how he would act. All of this was already making him feel giddy and stupid, resembling one of those teenage school girls with a serious crush on someone she liked and wouldn't tell them, but he couldn't help it. The idea of getting out of the house didn't help any of it, or maybe that was what he was really excited for. Of course he was excited to see Levi again, but he was also excited for going somewhere that didn't consist of a one block radius by himself.

He groaned again before sitting up. No more acting like a school girl. No more beating around the bush. No more of these terrible puns he was trying to think up and make himself motivated on. He would just throw on something, brush his teeth so he didn't kill Levi with bad breath, and eat something light, because he forgot about his breakfast this morning.

Eren ended up in a pair of grey jeans and a green shirt with the laces at the color loosened. He definitely didn't bother with worries of what kind of underwear he needed. If he did, he would be insinuating something to himself, and Eren knew they were doing nothing like that so early into the relationship.

Did they even have a relationship?

Even after his time spent cleaning up, he still had an hour and a half left before Levi was supposed to come over. Eren groaned for the umpteenth time that day and grabbed at the vacuum. He'd make himself useful and help pass the time by cleaning, or doing anything if it meant getting to see Levi sooner.

A little while later, after he had vacuumed the whole house, put the dishes away, left some food out to defrost for dinner, and cleaned his room (the holy grail of dirty hell), he finally got a text message from Levi.

_Levi; twelve thirteen p.m.:_

_"Hey, I may be a little early. Is that okay?"_

Suffice it to say, it was more than okay. Eren heaved a heavy sigh of relief as he bounced around, excitement a lacking word for how happy he was before replying.

_"Of course!"_

He didn't know what was considered early for Levi though. Was he going to be two minutes early, or half an hour early? He hoped for the latter of the two, because he was too excited to sit still anymore.

Twenty some minutes later, Levi finally showed up. Eren had to restrain himself from bolting to his car and jumping the man to hug him, and it was difficult to do. He simply clutched his notebook between his arms and chest and slowly made his way over to Levi.

"Hi Levy," He said as Levi stepped out of his car. Levi looked up to him and nodded, his eyes instantly looking to the notebook Eren was holding. Eren offered it to him, and Levi took it gratefully to write in it.

 _"I left my phone and money at my place, so we need to stop by there really quick. Is that okay with you?"_  He asked on the paper. Eren made a sound of approval and nodded his head, taking his notebook back and instantly climbing into the passenger's seat.

 _"How far is your place?"_  Eren asked in his notebook.

 _"Ten, maybe fifteen minutes from here. I'm stuck in the city."_  Levi wrote down after buckling up.

"Okay," Eren said and nodded his head. He remained quiet after that, looking out over the city with curious eyes as they drove. Levi had to keep his eyes on the road, but it was difficult when Eren had such a curious gaze. He was so innocent, so untouched, and it was rare to see someone like that in a world so messed up.

He would know.

When they got to Levi's apartment, Levi offered for Eren to stay in the car. His excuse was that the apartment building was run down and shitty, but Eren said it was fine. Levi took a deep breath as Eren jumped out from the car, and he got out at his own pace. Eren was ready to go though, barely keeping still as he waited for Levi. He couldn't hold still in the elevator, and Levi knew it was taking all of Eren's will power not to bolt down the corridor like a child.

 _"What's your apartment number?"_  Eren asked with his notebook. Levi held up a finger to give himself a moment as he pulled out his keys from his pockets. Levi pointed three doors down to his door, and Eren practically jumped in place. Levi pulled the notebook from Eren's hands to write in it.

 _"What are you so excited for?"_ Levi asked.  _"It's just my apartment."_

 _"I don't know. I just am."_  Levi chuckled under his breath, knowing full well that Eren wouldn't hear it. He forced the key into the old lock and got his door open with little effort, to his surprise; normally it took a bloody battle to get it open.

"Wow," Eren sounded out when looking around his apartment. Levi smirked as he set his keys down for a moment, just to go on a man hunt for his phone. As Levi walked away, Eren bothered to step further inside and look around.

He wasn't sure what he was really expecting from Levi. It never even crossed his mind that he'd ever step foot into Levi's place, yet here he was.

The place was spotless, not a speck of dirt on the floor or one thing out of place. Already Eren could tell that Levi liked having things in a certain order, he liked his things to stay in their spots and stay clean, and knowing that, he made sure not to bump into anything or drag dirt in with his shoes. Instead, he spent his time admiring the living room or the impeccable kitchen. Sure the place was small, but it was truly a beautiful place.

"You have a nice place..." Eren uttered, hoping Levi would hear him. He wouldn't know if Levi did though, not without hearing his response, and of course he couldn't do that. However, Levi appeared within his view. Eren watched as Levi brought his hand up to his mouth, thanking him in sign language. Eren's heart gave a strange lurch within his chest at the sight of it, and unbeknownst to him, he had a terrible blush stretching from ear to ear. "Mhm..." He sounded.

Levi walked around a little more, lifting up papers and books to find his phone. He cursed, and with an irritated huff and a click of his tongue, he walked back to Eren and pulled his notepad from him.

 _"Call my phone for me."_  He wrote down. Eren nodded his head and fished for his phone in his pocket. When he found it, he quickly dialed Levi's number. He looked to Levi for answers, watching as Levi stilled in his place by the television. He must have heard the cellphone ringing, though Eren couldn't hear a thing. He simply watched as Levi dug into his pocket, and after a moment, he pulled his hand out, his phone going off in his palm.

"I'm really am getting old..." Levi muttered to himself and hung up the call. Eren returned his phone to his pocket, watching as Levi release an exasperated sigh. Eren chuckled from where he stood, watching as Levi left the room, probably to look for his money next. Eren definitely couldn't help him with that one.

Instead, Eren bothered glancing around Levi's place again. He was still bewildered that a home could be so spotless, so clean; Eren knew his own room couldn't be as clean as this place was. He glanced over to the coffee table where Levi had been looking, seeing a few books stacked together on top of each other. Eren picked one up, hoping just to skim over it before noticing what was under it.

Eren set the book down and picked up the sketchbook that had been at the bottom of the pile. He eyed it curiously, debating whether he should look through it or leave it be. He didn't know if Levi could draw or not, if it was a hobby or something he did on the side to make money. He didn't know if Levi even liked to draw, so would he get upset if Eren looked inside?

Even if he knew the answer, his curiosity got the better of him. Eren flipped the little sketchbook open to look inside; needless to say, he was astonished.

Levi  _could_  draw. His abilities were incredible, and looking at the pictures on the paper, Eren was at a loss for words and breath. Anything, whether it was a person or an animal, it was in the sketchbook, and all of it was beautiful. Some of it was drawn with pencil, some of it was drawn in pen, and Eren recognized some charcoal mixed in with it. The way he drew the emotions into the pictures took Eren's breath away, and he felt an odd sensation he hadn't felt in a while.

He felt like he wanted to cry.

Levi was incredible. How were his talents unknown? Why didn't he make a living drawing things instead of working in a book store? It just didn't make sense.

"Eren," There was a hand on his shoulder, making him jump and turn around. He hadn't heard Levi call out to him, or even when he walked into the room, so he was left terrified. Why was he terrified? What if Levi did get upset that he looked at his sketchbook? What if he got angry at him for looking through his stuff? He didn't want to upset Levi, not at all.

So when Levi's grey eyes fell to the sketchbook still in his trembling hands, Eren feared the worst.

"S-Sorry..." Eren muttered, looking away so he didn't have to look in his eyes. Levi reached out and took the sketchbook from him, and Eren stepped back, afraid to push his limits. Levi looked at his sketchbook, fingers turning the pages and dark eyes scanning the drawings. Eren wasn't sure what he was supposed to do; if he was supposed to apologize again or stay quiet.

Should he leave? If he had pushed the older man's limits, he might as well. He didn't want Levi to be mad at him.

Eren dared to look up and stare at him. He was met with a cold stare, a stare that made him drop his head in mutter an apology again. He saw Levi move forward, but he didn't bother looking up, even when Levi took his notebook from him to write in.

 _"Why do you look like you are about to piss your pants?"_ The words were written out on a blank piece of paper and slipped under Eren's eyes so he could read them. Eren lifted his head a little, catching Levi's eyes. He didn't look angry, just bored like he normally looked. Levi offered the notebook back to him, and Eren's hands continued to shake even when he took it.

 _"I thought you'd be mad at me for going through your things."_ Eren explained. Levi rolled his eyes in an annoyed manner before continuing on.

 _"You're a kid, and you got curious. I'm not going to be mad about that."_  Eren eyed the paper with a sense of relief, along with confusion. He looked up at Levi, mildly surprised to see him so calm. Maybe it had been him that had overreacted?

_"You aren't mad?"_

_"I already said I wasn't."_ Levi sighed as he set the sketchpad back down where Eren found it. Eren watched as Levi pushed the money he had found into his wallet, and a thought crossed his mind.

 _"Do you draw often?"_  Eren asked with his notebook. Levi seemed a little deterred by the question.

_"No, not anymore. I used to when I was younger, but I stopped."_

_"Why?"_

This time Eren knew he pushed it too far.

 _"It's none of your fucking business."_ Levi didn't have to say it. Eren could feel the bite to his words just from the tension alone. He dropped his head and muttered his apology, and Levi sighed. He knew he had messed up that time.

He tapped at Eren's shoulder, prompting the kid to look up. When he did, Levi pulled his hand up to his chest and said his apology for him. Eren's lips spread in a bitter smile, one that Levi wasn't sure was good or bad.

"It's okay..." Eren mumbled as he moved to sit on the couch. Levi knew that he was lying; the kid was sensitive to things and people around him, so of course it wasn't okay. Levi didn't appreciate being lied to either.

"Eren," Levi said and took the notebook back from him when he sat down.  _"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, okay?"_

_"I said it was fine, didn't I?"_

_"Eren-"_ Levi didn't have time to finish what he wanted to write. Eren snatched the notebook back from him, writing down quickly and furiously on his papers with a couple of small grunts.

 _"Draw me something,"_ Eren quickly demanded and pushed his notebook into Levi's hands.

 _"Eren, I don't dr-"_  Eren removed the pen from Levi's grasp, prompting him to look up. Eren flashed those gold eyes of his in a puppy dog look, and Levi groaned. "What do you want me to draw?" Levi asked when he got the pen back.

 _"I don't know; something pretty."_ Eren responded. Levi glared at him for a moment, prying with his eyes for another answer. What was he supposed to draw, and why something pretty? Pretty could have different meanings for different people. For example; Eren may think that flowers are pretty, while Levi thought that blood was pretty instead. Of course he didn't think that at all, but he needed some sort of argument to give to the kid.

However, just before he could write that argument to the kid, an idea struck him, and  _hard._  It felt like someone whacked his head in with a lead pipe, and he was glad that this didn't hurt as much as that would have. He would know.

Levi's eyes looked over Eren's form: His big, gold eyes, where his bangs fell against his forehead, his square jawline, and his round cheekbones. His stare lingered on Eren for a moment longer to take in all of the detail he could before he turned the page, giving himself a fresh piece of paper to work from.

Even with a shitty pen and leaf paper, Levi began sketching out his idea. It wasn't easy working without a skeleton base he usually used, but he managed. Eren didn't notice it; he had been so distracted by Levi's hand creating magic that he didn't notice Levi's eyes on him every few seconds. Every now and again he'd look up at that face of his, looking over his features and mapping out what goes where. He only looked up though; he didn't move his head, knowing he'd tip Eren off to his idea.

It took a good, solid ten minutes before Eren started to recognize what it was he was drawing, and when he did, his eyes widened in surprise. He fingers reached out, just barely touching the edge of the paper where the drawing was, and Levi's hand stopped moving to look at him.

"It's me..." Eren mumbled. He looked at Levi, a blush dusting his cheeks and staining his skin when he noticed the heavy staring Levi was doing, then realizing that he had been doing it for a while. He swallowed and took the pen from Levi, his fingers shaking as he wrote.  _"I thought you were going to draw something pretty..."_  Even his handwriting was shaky. Levi took the pen back, and he noticed the way Eren jumped when their fingers brushed.

 _"I did."_  Levi replied. Eren's blush intensified, and knowing this, Eren looked away, hoping to hide it. He turned to the side a little, his hands clenching into fists in his lap, and Levi couldn't help but scoff at the kid's reaction.  _"Well it's not like you're ugly."_ Levi quickly recovered. "Brat," He muttered under his breath.

Levi leaned forward, touching the back of Eren's hand with cold fingers. Eren shivered in place while Levi came to hold his hand, his gold eyes looking up to meet the older man's.

It was Levi's turn to lose his breath. He didn't understand what it was, but something about this boy, whether it was his eyes or his personality made his heart flutter. It created a tightness within his chest that didn't seem to go away for days, and even when he thought about the kid, the sensations increased. So what was this now? He was just looking at the boy, wasn't he? If that was the case, then why was he feeling this way?

And why was he moving forward? Why was Eren leaning forward as well? Why was he lifting his head, as if searching for something?

He didn't have time to question it any further. When his lips pressed into Eren's soft, pink skin, all logical thought processes came to a screeching halt. All he could think about was the tender skin under his, or the way he knew for a fact that his cheeks were tinted just the slightest hue of red. It was awkward at first, what with both of their "expert" experience, and when their noses bumped together, it made them both pull away. Eren had the smallest hitch in his breath, his eyes wide, pupils blown way out of proportion, and his cheeks flushed red from ear to ear. Levi figured he must have looked the same way, if not by a little.

It was then that Levi was hit with a strong sense of realization.

He had just gotten his first kiss.

He had just gotten his first kiss from a nineteen year old, a mere child to him. The two of them had fifteen years of a difference between them. He was a mere child who was deaf, and he was taking complete advantage of him.

However, knowing this, Levi couldn't bring himself to care right now.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled. Levi lifted a hand and touched Eren's cheek, a simple gesture as the two took the chance to catch their breath. Levi recovered first, and he looked away to clear his throat. He lifted the pen he had momentarily forgotten about and began writing.

 _"I'm sorry..."_ He wrote down. Eren's face fell, and Levi knew he instantly took it the wrong way.  _"No, not about that. We've been spending so much time here that I forgot that we had a date to attend."_

He needed to derail what was happening. He needed to prolong it, hold it back for some time so he could think.

"Oh..." Eren sounded, trying to take the pen back, but Levi wasn't done yet.

_"You wanted to do something today? It was your turn to pick, so what was it you wanted to do today?"_

_"Actually..."_  The brunette hesitated before he continued.  _"I'm kind of fine here like this."_

 _"Are you sure? We can go out and get pizza or something."_ Levi suggested.

 _"Order pizza for here, and we can watch some movies or something."_ Eren shrugged his shoulders as he wrote down. Levi lingered on the words before looking up at him, silently questioning him. The kid couldn't hear, so why would he want to watch a movie?  _"I like making up the things a person could say. It can get pretty funny when I do that. Besides, there are subtitles."_

Levi seemed to understand on some points, but others, such as watching a movie when one was deaf, didn't make sense. He nodded his head anyway, showing his understanding before pulling out his phone to call a nearby pizza place. After the two agreed on what they wanted, Levi ordered, and they continued their bickering, their next subject being movies.

_"The acting in that one sucks."_

_"Yeah, but the animation in the movie you picked sucks. What's worse, sucky animation that makes it hard to watch a movie or shitty acting?"_

_"Both make it hard to watch a movie."_

" _Eh, good point."_ Levi accepted defeat after that, and the two ended up picking a movie that had relatively good animation of mid-class acting, which was considerably better than nothing. Though, in Levi's opinion, the movie still sucked.

They waited on the movie, waiting for the pizza to be delivered before they started watching it. When the pizza was delivered, the two ate in silence, all except for the TV that played the movie they agreed on. Levi had put on the subtitles for Eren, and he was surprised by how capable Eren really was. He didn't seem to miss a beat of the movie.

When someone told a joke, he understood and chuckled or laughed. He understood when someone was in pain or sad just from facial expressions or body positions, and he was five steps ahead of Levi on that one. Other's would pick up on the atmosphere by words, but Eren was able to read the situation far sooner by someone and how they were standing, walking, or looking at certain things. Eren picked up on things that were subtle gestures one wouldn't catch from words alone, and though Levi had seen this movie before, things made more sense to him now that he bothered to pay a little more attention to the positions the characters were in more than the words they were saying.

Eren truly was odd, but Levi had clarified already that the oddness was an admirable trait in Eren that made him likeable. He could no longer deny that he was growing a soft spot for the kid, but that was all his fault. He had plenty of chances to break off whatever this was beginning to take place, but he didn't.

Whatever happened between them now, Levi had no choice but to take blame for.

Halfway through the movie, with stomachs full and the movie playing a scene where someone inevitably screwed something over, the two of them fell asleep on Levi's couch. Eren had fallen asleep Levi's shoulder, Levi dozing off against the shoulder of the couch.

Positions like that could get tiring after a while, however.


	8. Over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's so obvious to say that you guys are going to hate me for this chapter. XD Anyway~ Hey~ Update~! Eremin week is over and we can return to normal~ XD

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
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**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

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**Chapter Eight: Over** **  
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Levi opened his eyes to a dimly lit room around him, a dimly lit room and a warmth spreading over his body. It was dark, but the movie was still playing on the TV; at least the menu was. Levi sighed as he rolled his neck around, the muscles under his skin cramped, tight, and strained from sleeping on the couch for so long. He hadn't done it in ages, and sleeping on his couch, the giant lump from his own hell with its springs sticking out every which way, was never a good idea.

Levi made his move to get up, but he came to find that he couldn't. He was momentarily trapped under deadweight that clung to his chest, one leg precariously between his in an innocent, but not so innocent for him, manner. Levi rubbed at his eyes to see what, or rather  _who_  it was holding him down, and he found Eren sound asleep on top of him.

His grey eyes widened.

When did this happen?

Levi tried recalling what happened, and when the sound from the movie caught his attention, it all came flooding back to him.

The two of them ordered pizza and picked out a movie they could both agree on. Half way through the movie, Eren had dozed off against his arm. Without wanting to disturb the kid while he was sleeping, Levi managed to lay the boy down on the couch, but at a price. He somehow managed to do it with an arm trapped under the brunette's body. He tried pulling free, but Eren shifted, acting like he was about to wake up at any moment, which he didn't. Levi didn't want to wake him up, so he just fell asleep behind the boy, trying to enjoy what was left of the movie. Of course, he fell asleep minutes later.

This left him here, with Eren on his chest and sleeping like a baby. Levi leaned his head back to look at Eren's face, his fingers unconsciously brushing his bangs from his face and tucking what he could behind a tan ear. With Eren sleeping so peacefully, Levi took it upon him to skim his fingers along his square jawline and against his cheek. His skin was incredibly soft, something Levi didn't notice before. Levi couldn't resist letting his finger grace over Eren's cheek bones and eyelids. The movement made Eren's eyes twitch in his dream, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, but he didn't wake up. Levi's heartbeat picked up in speed by a few paces, and when his fingers came to his lips, Levi's hand faltered.

They had kissed. Levi got his first kiss from him. Levi got his first kiss from a nineteen year old brat with a hearing disability. Most people in society would expect him to be taking advantage of him, but he wasn't.

He really did like Eren; he wouldn't be spending time with the kid if he didn't. Levi wouldn't spend time with someone he didn't like, which was why Hanji was the only person he could consider his friend. Yes, he found her annoying, but he didn't hate her. She was the only friend he had left. So for Eren to work his way under his skin; that meant something.

That couldn't happen.

Levi knew better. He knew that this wasn't a good idea. From the beginning it wasn't a good idea, and everything had been telling him so since day one. Eren was young, innocent, and deaf; he was bright, lively, energetic, smart, and too kind for his own benefit. It was wrong of him, because he knew how this looked. He knew how everyone would look at them, how they would see the age difference and the abnormality of their relationship. Levi knew, and he knew it was wrong.

He knew he needed to end it. It was still early enough, wasn't it? They weren't so attached to each other that it would hurt to end whatever relationship this was now, right? Or maybe he was wrong. Maybe Eren thought highly of him. Maybe Eren really liked him.

Or maybe it was the other way around.

Levi didn't have any more time to question things. Eren shifted in his sleep, his eyelids twitching gently again before fluttering open, revealing his big, golden eyes. Levi felt a wave of unknown heat wash over him, his throat tightening around itself until he swallowed.

He couldn't do it, not now at least. How could anyone break the heart of someone with such a peaceful face? He definitely couldn't do it. He'd have to do it later, later when Eren wasn't disoriented with sleep, and later when those big eyes of his weren't drowning him in the depth of an unknown affection.

"Mhm..." Eren hummed and stretched as far as Levi's body would allow. Levi wrapped his arms around the kids body when he tilted to the side, keeping him rooted on the couch. Eren's eyes found his, a look of confusion evident on his face. He looked around for a moment, trying to decipher what had happened to put them in this position like Levi had done. His focus came to the movie and the half eaten pizza on the coffee table, and a smile played on his lips as he looked back at Levi.

The barest of smiles pulled at the corners of Levi's lips, his hand reaching up to ruffle Eren's untamed bed hair. Eren practically purred like a kitten, his head falling back against the older man's chest as he let out a sigh. That warm breath caressed Levi's skin, causing him to shiver for reasons he didn't understand.

"Morning..." Eren mumbled against Levi's shirt. Levi couldn't verbally respond, knowing Eren wouldn't hear it, but he nodded his head. The physical response was just enough for Eren. Eren lifted his head back up and looked at Levi, his smile widening as a blush dusted his cheeks. Levi shifted, skeptical of that look.

What was the kid planning?

His question was answered quickly. Eren leaned up to peck Levi's lips in a simple kiss, and though simple, Eren's cheeks lit up in colors Levi hadn't seen on a person before. He became shy quickly, eyes averting to the table, the floor, anything but Levi as he wet his lips in a nervous habit.

Well, Levi could have reacted better. He could have reacted  _at all_. He was so dumbfounded by the suddenness of the kiss that he wasn't sure how to react to the situation, or if he should react at all. However, when Eren looked up at him with worried eyes, all he could do was smile. He couldn't let Eren worry.

Of course, now he was forgetting the plan he had moments before. Looking at the kid made him forget about everything, and for the time being, he didn't want to lose him. So he would just smile for now, because there was nothing else he could do.

Eren's hand lifted, fingers pressing into Levi's chest gently and moving around. Levi thought the kid was just doodling nonsense at first, but then he realized that Eren was trying to talk. With his notebook off somewhere where they didn't want to get up and get it, this was Eren's only way to talk to him.

 _"Did you sleep well?"_  He finally made out. Eren lifted his head to see if Levi understood, and with a nod of the head, he released a small sigh of content. However, well had been an understatement. Levi felt like he hadn't slept so well in all of his life, and even with the kink in his neck, it fell like all of the fatigue and the soreness left his body for the time being. Only time would tell if the soreness would kick back in.

Levi motioned for Eren's hand, and Eren held it out for him so Levi could mock write on it.

 _"How about you?"_  Eren nodded his head when understanding. With the silent agreement that everything was fine between them, Eren lowered his head back down on Levi's chest and moved his fingers back and forth, this time uselessly doodling random things. Levi leaned his head back against the arm of the couch, his eyes looking around the room for the clock. He had to make sure he kept check on the time, fearing the consequences of them being late. His eyes couldn't seem to find it in the dark though.

And then it hit him.

It was dark.

Levi felt a surge of panic hit him, the blood running cold through the veins in his heart as he looked to the digital clock next to his TV. It read eight thirteen, and Levi would have jumped from the couch had it not been for Eren's heavy body lying on top of his. Eren whined in protest and pain, his spine bending in an odd way before he rolled off of Levi. He looked up to the older man, silently questioning him as Levi looked about frantically.

"What's wrong?" He asked and sat up, and Levi looked back at him with a look of panic. Without saying anything, Levi pointed to their surroundings and the clock not too far away. The darkness didn't phase Eren any; it was when he looked at the time that he began to fear the worst. "Oh no!" He cried and jumped up.

Levi stood and grabbed at the brunette's arm, stopping him from running around in a frantic state. When he got Eren's attention, Levi pulled his hand up to his ear, mimicking the shape of a phone.

"Where's your phone?" Levi asked out loud. Eren didn't need to hear to understand what he was asking. He was able to read his lips enough, and the symbol Levi was making with his hand was self-explanatory. Eren grabbed at his backpack that had been sitting by the front door and tugged it back to the couch. He instantly dug around inside the front pocket, and the sudden vibrations he felt reaching his fingertips made his eyes widened.

He pulled his phone out and looked at it; sure enough, Mikasa's name was on the caller ID. Eren's panic hit him full force; he always kept the ringer off so he could feel his phone going off, but now that only seemed to have gotten them into trouble. Eren lifted the phone and whined, getting Levi's attention, who had been looking for his keys so they could leave. The older man caught sight of the name on the phone, and he took up the tiny device to answer it.

"Hello, Mikasa?" He questioned.

 _"Who is this?"_  Levi heard the bitter panic in her voice. It didn't take a PHD in fucked to know that they were both utterly fucked.

"It's Levi. Listen, we-"

 _"Where's Eren?"_  Mikasa didn't give him a chance to explain. She cut him off quickly, her voice going from fear to anger in point three seconds flat.  _"You son of a bitch! Where is he?"_

"Just listen!" Levi had no choice but to yell over her. "We fell asleep while we were watching a movie! He's right here and he's fine, and we're heading there now!"

 _"I'm giving you five minutes to get back here, bastard."_  Eren's sister growled.

"I live fifteen minutes away from-" Levi heard the dial tone play, an obvious sign that she hung up on him. She wasn't going to listen to reason or excuses, and he knew that. He sighed and handed Eren his phone before ushering the boy out of the apartment.

They had five minutes to drive fifteen minutes back to his house. Levi thought that if he sped ten miles over the speed limit and ignored all red lights, they could pull it off.

Of course the universe had other plans.

Levi had never stopped at so many red lights in his entire life, and it seemed like there was nothing but police on the streets. It took twenty-five minutes to return home, and when they did, Mikasa was already waiting on the porch, anger fuming off of her lithe frame. Levi heard the quiet whimpering Eren was doing; obviously he was mortified by what was about to happen.

The two got out of the car, and Mikasa charged her way over to them. She grabbed Eren's arm and pulled him away, forcibly pulling Eren back to the house despite his protests.

"It was an accident! We fell asleep!" Levi tried to explain, but Mikasa was having none of it.

"He shouldn't have been at your apartment in the first place!"

"I left my money there! We were going to go get pizza, but we just decided to stay!"

"Mikasa!" Eren whined and pulled on his arm for freedom. Mikasa's grip was firm though, firm and unrelenting, and no matter how much Eren fought with her, even to the point where he was on the ground in protest, she wasn't going to let go.

"Hey, hey! What's going on?" Armin had appeared from the house, jumping off of the porch so he could catch up to them. He already noticed the tension of the situation, but Armin was level-headed through almost anything. If anyone understood what was going on, it'd be Armin, and Eren knew that for sure.

"Armin, talk some sense into her." Levi begged, already too tired to continue arguing. Mikasa was much like her brother; she was thick-headed and stubborn, and in a situation like this, that wasn't a good thing.

"I don't need anyone talking sense into me!" Mikasa barked, her grip on Eren's wrist tightening considerably. Eren muffled a small sound of pain, which didn't go unnoticed by Armin's eyes.

"Mikasa, let him go. You're hurting him." Armin said calmly and pulled at her wrist. The kid seemed to have a certain something about him, something in his voice or the earnest look in his big, blue eyes, but he was able to free Eren, and Mikasa seemed to calm down about eighty degrees. How Armin could defuse a situation like that just by talking, Levi would never understand.

"Thank you..." Eren mumbled. Armin smiled and nodded his head before looking back at the two bickering adults standing before him.

"Okay, someone explain to me what's going on." He said, just as calmly as he had before.

"These two have been at his place the whole time!" Mikasa's voice was bordering on yelling, but Armin motioned for her to lower her voice before the neighbors tried to get involved. That had happened already once this year where Eren and her were in an argument, and they didn't need it happening again.

"You've been at his place the entire time?" Now Armin seemed a little upset by the news, and Levi cursed at his luck.

"It was an accident." He said through gritted teeth.

"These two-!" Mikasa began, but Armin hushed her before he could continue.

"One of you explain to me what's going on." He commanded and pointed to Eren and Levi.

"Eren and I fell asleep on my couch while we were watching a movie, and we woke up about half an hour ago. It was an accident." Levi explained.

"He shouldn't have been at your place." Eren's sister suddenly growled.

"If you really thought I had fucked your brother, don't you think it would have been obvious?" Levi spoke up and asked, though he could have been less blunt about it. Mikasa practically lunged at him, but Armin grabbed at her arm and pulled her back. Levi didn't even seem threatened let alone scared by the attempt. "Sex is obvious, isn't it? I didn't sleep with your brother in that way, so get you head out of the Goddamn gutter!"

"Screw you!" Mikasa bit out.

"Stop it!" Eren begged the two. His obvious sadness seemed to defuse the situation, if only for a moment. Mikasa and Levi saw the look in his glassy eyes, as if he was about ready to cry, and maybe he was. That was enough to get them to stop.

"Alright, that's enough." Armin released Mikasa from his death grip to help Eren up to his feet. When Eren was up, Armin began signing to him, questioning on what happened. Levi watched Eren sign, his hands in a frantic blur. Levi didn't even understand how Armin could read any of his signals when they were that fast, but he seemed just fine following along. Eren was making small grunting sounds, obviously frustrated with everything, and Levi felt bad. He couldn't control his own anger for five minutes to make sure Eren was alright.

"Alright, Eren, it's okay." Armin soothed while touching Eren's neck. Levi thought the motion was weird at first, but seeing how just a simple touch seemed to calm Eren down, he thought differently about the gesture. There was still a lot he didn't know about the kid, and a lot more that Armin knew about him. He wasn't sure why he felt threatened by that. "Mikasa, they're telling the truth."

"How can you be so sure?" Mikasa asked. Armin turned to look over his shoulder, a small smile on his lips, though it was goofy and a little crooked. He knew himself why that was though, and it was probably because what he was about to say was going to upset Mikasa.

"Because Levi is right." He admitted. "Even if they were lying, it'd be obvious. Besides, why would Eren lie to us?"

"Because Levi told him to." Mikasa tried to accuse, but Armin gave her a look that asked if she was being serious.

"You know Eren wouldn't do that. He'd tell us." The tension seemed to dissipate into nothing now. Mikasa's anger seemed to be placed with an odd sense of relief, like Armin was the only person she could believe in this world, though she was still livid with the older man and Levi was just relieved now that the problem was averted. He'd have to thank Armin for settling their issues later when he got the time.

"Whatever..." Mikasa scoffed and looked at her brother. "Eren, you're grounded for the next two weeks." She signed to him. Eren's only response that Levi could make out was a sound of surprise and distress before he began signing, trying to get his way out of his punishment. "No, Eren, no. You should have kept your phone on you."

"Hey, M-Mikasa," Armin tried to intervene.

"I don't care. You should have known better." Mikasa wasn't listening to him. She wasn't listening to anyone, and she wasn't going to listen. Why did she have to be so stubborn about this?

"Mikasa-" Eren tried again, but she wasn't going to listen.

"No, Eren." She wasn't going to budge, was she? No, she definitely wasn't, and when Eren knew it, it wasn't the most gratifying thing in the world. It was the easiest way to put him down, and anyone who knew Eren knew it well.

"I hate you!" Eren shouted, his hands balled into fists by his side. A look of pain, both physically and mentally, came across Mikasa's face. Though she tried to hide her pain by looking away, it was utterly obvious. Her black eyes became red, tears lining at the edges of her lashes. Why she tried to hide it didn't make sense, but it didn't matter to Levi.

He wasn't going to tolerate that.

"Oi, brat!" Levi grabbed at Eren's arm and pulled him away, putting a good amount of distance between them and his family. Eren didn't try to pull away from Levi, but when he saw the look on Levi's face, a look of anger, he faltered. Levi reached for Eren's backpack and yanked it open to grab at his notebook.  _"Brat, what do you think you are doing?"_  He wrote down.

 _"She started it!"_  Eren accused, a groan leaving him as he stomped like a child, which he was essentially.

 _"I don't care! I'm ending it,"_  Eren looked at the words with worry, his confusion showing quickly. He looked up at Levi, trying to voice his confusion, but it seemed that he quickly got the idea of what he meant when it seemed to flash across his eyes.

 _"What do you mean?"_  Eren's hand shook lightly as he wrote, as if he was slowly figuring out what was about to happen. Maybe he was trying to deny it to himself, or maybe he was showing his confusion. Either way, the realization was sinking in, and it was happening fast.

 _"Eren, that's your sister, and this is your family. You only have her and Armin, and I'm not going to be the reason for messing with you guys."_  Levi let out a huff of annoyance, a strange twinge of pain in his chest as he wrote the words. Why was this upsetting him so much?

_"What does that mean?"_

_"Eren, you're a good kid, and I really do like you, but I'm not coming between you and your family."_  After Eren read the words, Levi could see how his eyes became glassy. Knowing that he was going to make the kid cry was one thing, but he had to break his heart. This was his family, the only family he had as far as Levi knew. He didn't know about parents, grandparents, or distant family, but it didn't matter.

He wouldn't mess with any of it.

"L-Levy..." Eren mumbled with a stutter. Levi slowly handed the notebook back to Eren, who took it with shaking hands. Levi reached up and touched the boy's slightly red cheek, his fingers drawing lines under his eyes. One tear managed to worm its way from his watery eye, slipping to Levi's cold skin before Levi could wipe it away. He stood up on his toes, momentarily cursing himself for being so short before kissing the side of his cheek where the tear fell. When he pulled away, it seemed like the kiss only caused more trouble for Eren, who produced more tears.

"I'm sorry..." Levi signed to him and whispered. Eren's gaze drifted to the ground, and as Levi started to walk away, it didn't lift again. Levi got back in his car, daring one last peek at the family outside.

He should have known better than to do that.

With his head hung low, Eren slowly made his way back to his family. Levi couldn't see the brunette's face with his back turned to him, but even from this distance, he could see the subtle shivers in his shoulders, shivers that only would come from crying. Mikasa was still upset by the previous admission from Eren, but she tried to console him. He didn't want to hear it from her, but Armin had better luck, only touching Eren's shoulder in a silent apology for him.

Armin must have understood. He was bright, and after something like that, he must have known about what Levi had told him. He must have known, and with the quick side glance he did, Levi knew that Armin was silently angry with him for hurting his friend. He wouldn't voice it, wouldn't even show it in front of Eren, but he knew. All he did was pat Eren's back, no words leaving his lips and his hands stagnant where they were. Eren thanked the blond for trying, and turning his head gave Levi the only opportunity to see Eren's face.

And he really was crying.

Had he really broken his heart?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know! I know~! I promise I have a method to all of this madness! Don't pick characters (And I know who you're picking) to hate yet! We aren't done! X'D


	9. Autumn Winds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooooo~! I know, I missed last week. Good explanations! However, I've said this once before on my tumblr. XD If you don't follow me already, and you don't have to, you can go look for me as "mistyhollowpro." Like I said, you don't have to follow me, but it's there so you have updates on my stories and you know why they're late. xp I'm very busy though, and teeeechnically I'm supposed to be studying right now. I'm not, but that's what I'm supposed to be doing. XD Anyway, have an awesome week!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
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**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
****Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter Nine: Autumn Winds**

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Levi didn't see Eren again until late into October. He didn't get any text messages, and he didn't get any calls. Armin stopped coming by too, and without the two of them visiting the bookstore every few days, it became quiet. He didn't bother trying to text or call, especially  _call_. He knew Eren wouldn't be able to hear him anyway, and texting just left an open window. This left him completely alone with barely anyone to talk to. The only chance he got to talk to someone was Hanji, who was continuing her lessons on sign language with him.

He had explained to her that he didn't need it, that he and Eren would continue to use a notebook (because she didn't know that he broke up with the kid), but she insisted, saying that it didn't matter if it was for Eren or not. Sign language was a useful skill to have, and he couldn't really disagree with her on that one. So he gave in willingly to her and continued the lessons.

They were never very long, maybe fifteen minutes or so, but Levi would rather take a fifteen minute lesson than an hour lesson. What Hanji could pack into a measly fifteen minutes was astounding, something a professor would put into an hour with great detail, but he'd never show the surprise. Lessons from her were challenging enough, and the further into them and into the language they got, the more confusing it soon became.

"Levi, this is important! It's not just about the hand signals; facial expressions help communicate a lot more than you realize!" Hanji bellowed while trying to get the older man's attention. Levi rolled his eyes and looked away from the broom in his hands to look at the women.

"Hanji, any other time is fine, but I've got shit to do right now." Levi groaned and rolled his eyes. The woman was persistent though; he wasn't really sure if that was a good or a bad thing.

"Just this one thing." Hanji said. "Come on, it's important." When she flashed her outdated puppy-dog look, Levi groaned in defeat. Her look was nowhere near as good as Eren's, and it definitely didn't work, but she wouldn't leave him alone until he listened. He figured that the sooner he got this over with, the sooner he can sweep away the leaves from outside.

"Fine," He sighed and leaned against the pole of the broom for leverage. He wasn't going to stand on all of his weight if he had to listen to this, and he was going to do his damn best to get his point across.

"Perfect! Okay, so we're coming off on 'don't like' now. This one is important, because it's similar to 'like,' but has that extra step, and, of course, the facial expressions." Hanji explained with a beaming smile. Levi's response was one he always had: A blank expression with a long frown on his thin lips. "We're going to need extra time for your facial expressions."

"Get on with it, shitty glasses." Levi ordered and threatened to hit her with the broom.

"Okay, okay! So do you remember the signal for 'like'?" She asked. Levi pulled his hand up to his chest, pressed his middle finger and thumb together, and held his hand in place.

"That, right?" The older man asked.

"Perfect!" Hanji praised him with enthusiasm. "Now, do you remember the alternative?" She asked. Levi's answer was the alternative way of signaling it, and Hanji nodded her head approvingly. "Right. This is where facial expressions come in though."

"It's not just 'like,' it has to be with an expression. ' _I don't like that, I do like that. I like you, I don't like you. What do you like?'_ These are all really important."

"Uh huh..." Levi had a feeling that she mentioned the "like you" pieces just to mess with him. Truly she was a sadistic woman hidden behind her goofy glasses.

"Levi, it's serious. Think about it; when Eren signed something, weren't his emotions worn on his sleeve?" Hanji asked. At the mention of his name, Levi looked down at the hairs of the broom he was still leaning on. The silence that fell over them was engrossed with tension, and Hanji knew that she had pushed all of the wrong buttons for him.

Levi had been rather touchy about the subject of Eren since their last date, but Levi never said why. He didn't say where they went or what they did; granted, he didn't say anything about their first date either, but this time he wasn't trying to torture her. All Hanji knew was that neither Eren nor Armin had been to the book store since then, and that Levi just didn't want to talk about it.

"... I'm going to clean outside..." Levi mumbled and collected his broom. He left a very quiet Hanji to herself inside to finish her previous job of... Whatever it was that the women had been doing before she decided it was time for his lessons. He had an important job to do, and that was getting all of the fallen leaves off of the sidewalk in front of the store and give it a somewhat "respectful" appearance. It was a bookstore, so there wasn't much to the appearance, but he appreciated it if it was organized.

Once outside with his sweater zipped up, Levi took a moment to gaze at the surroundings, having nothing better to so. The leaves had fully changed in an array of colors: Yellows, reds, browns, and oranges, and most of them were dropping to the ground at an alarming rate. A tree had been growing next door at a small gift shop, and its branches leaned over the fence dividing the two stores just enough to drop all of its annoying leaves on the sidewalk,  _his_  sidewalk. Every year it became a challenge to clean the damn things up, and no matter how much he swept them up, there was always more. This situation was much like his complaining; no matter how much he complained, no one did a damn thing.

Levi sighed and bunched up the white scarf around his neck even tighter. It wasn't as cold as it had been in September, but it was damn near getting to it. It wasn't even this bad early in the morning when he got up; hell, it was colder in his own apartment than it was outside. He was forced to pull out a portable heating unit he kept in his closet for when the heating in the damn building didn't work, and at this point in time the heat hadn't been turned on yet. That just said how cold it was.

Regardless, Levi positioned the broom in his hands and forced it through the first trudge of leaves. There must have been dozens of leaves on the ground already, and it was only eleven in the morning. Hadn't he swept up already when they first got there? He was sure he did, but maybe he hadn't. Or maybe he had and the neighbors wouldn't cut the branches off of their damn tree.

"Fucking hell..." He quietly cursed to himself. As Levi continued to sweep up the leaves into what was becoming a massive pile growing taller than him, people walked by with their everyday lives. Levi was no stalker; of course not, but he entertained himself with watching the people walking by and listening to their conversations. Some of them were funny, others were rude, and others he just didn't need to hear.

"Dude, she was fucking wild! I'm talking something from a fucking porn movie wild!"

"Why can't I get action like you? You make it seem so fucking easy."

"Maybe because you openly talk like that when there are kids around." Levi wasn't one to interject his thoughts into a private conversation, but these two men were going off like they didn't care that a little girl and her mother were just exiting the gift shop next door, and obviously the mother didn't appreciate their language. Needless to say that they were both flabbergasted, and who would pick a fight with someone who looked like Levi? Sure, he was small, but his expressions made up for it.

And Hanji said he needed to work on that.

When the revolting men were gone, and the woman had thanked Levi for butting in, Levi decided against continuing his ease dropping. It only kept his mind occupied for so long, and when people weren't walking by, his mind wandered elsewhere. He previously reprimanded himself for thinking that way, for thinking about  _him_ , but maybe that wasn't so healthy. Maybe he needed to think about Eren in order to get over him.

"Damn it..." Why did he need to get over him in the first place? They had been on two dates, and both were so simple that it really was like friends hanging out. Beyond the kisses they shared, most consisting of being on the cheek, everything was innocent. It was still early enough to not get attached to the kid, so why was he so stuck on this kid? Why had it been almost a month and he was still hung up on him?

It didn't make sense. It just didn't make sense. Why was he still thinking about him after  _a month_? Why couldn't he close his eyes without an image of him appearing in the dark?

Maybe it was what he saw the last time he saw him. Maybe it was the tears. Maybe it was the broken and defeated look in his eyes that plagued him so often, even in his sleep.

Maybe it was the guilt. That had to be it. It had to be the guilt that was making him feel this way. Levi always had a guilty conscious, so it was highly possible that he just felt bad for breaking the poor kid's heart.

That had to be it. It was the only explanation he had for why he felt this way. If it wasn't the reason, then Levi truly had no idea why he was like this. He wasn't about to ask Hanji about it, because he would never hear the end of it if he did, but he was at a loss for what else he could do.

Levi sighed as his focus came back to the task at hand. He had been so unconscious to the world outside of his mind that he hadn't even realized that he had a totally blank expression on his face while he had been sweeping, and he had been sweeping in the same exact spot for lord knows how long. He inwardly cursed at himself; had he really been so focused on Eren for so long that he made a tiny little pile of leaves sitting next to the giant one he swept up half an hour ago?

"This is total bullshit." He growled and tossed the broom into the big pile of leaves. He knew better than to let his mind wander, but he let it happen anyway, and now he was standing outside looking like a fool to whoever walked by. Of course he knew better than to toss away a perfectly good broom into a pile of leaves as well. Now he was the one acting like a child, and he released a heavy sigh of defeat as he picked the broom back up.

It would probably be better for Hanji to do this. Levi thought he could clear his mind by going outside, but obviously it wasn't helping. He needed to get back inside anyway; it was as cold as hell, and his flimsy sweater wasn't enough to keep him warm anymore.

He could lose himself in books instead. Books were a way into another world, where fictional characters had problems that made more sense and the answers were written out, but the answers weren't there until Levi finished reading the story. That's probably why he, as well as Eren and Armin, read so much. It was just an escape into another world, a world he was desperate to find right now.

So, with that goal in mind, he was perfectly okay with going inside. However, a little tug to the back of his sweater stopped him. Levi lifted his stare from the pile of leaves to look behind him, and he wasn't sure anymore if God existed or not at this point. If he did, he really loved to fuck with him.

There behind him stood Eren, covered by a heavy jacket and gloves with his backpack in its normal place. His notebook was trapped between his arms and chest again, and the moment their eyes met, his big eyes averted to the ground, his cheeks already a deep, red color. That could have been the cold though, so Levi paid no mind to it. After not seeing the boy for a month, his eyes were instantly sweeping over the kid, searching for anything different about him. Nothing was of course, minus his hair being a few centimeters longer and the utter shyness he felt towards Levi. Why would Eren be shy around him?

Oh yeah, Levi broke up with him.

"Eren..." Levi mumbled. It wasn't for catching the kid's attention; it was out of his own surprise. What was Eren doing here? It was a weekday, and he wasn't supposed to be here without Armin. With a quick glance around, it was obvious that the blond wasn't here, which meant Eren was alone.

Eren managed to look up, eyes shying away a few times as he stood there. Levi wasn't sure if he was supposed to make the first move and question the kid, but how could he when Eren had his notebook. Levi's signing skills weren't strong enough yet to question Eren's behavior, leaving him totally blind to the situation.

"Uhm..." He hummed, hoping to figure out what it was he was supposed to do. Before he could come up with an answer, however, Eren's arms finally seemed to pry themselves away from his chest, long enough at least to hold out his notebook. Levi looked up at him, trying to catch his stare, but whenever Eren's eyes met his, he looked away. This left Levi with nothing to lead him, no clues to follow as he took the notebook from Eren.

The notebook was already open, leading his eyes to the dirty, white paper inside, paper with words already written down in it. There were multiple scribbles in the book, areas where it looked like the paper and been worn away with an eraser and pencils. Levi looked up at Eren again, but when the boy didn't do anything, didn't sign or speak to him, it occurred to him that he was supposed to read the words written down on the paper.

_"Sorry for what happened last month. My sister gets protective of me, and she forgets sometimes to act polite around people..."_  Levi began reading. He looked up again, just to make sure that it was okay to so this. When Eren didn't say anything against it, his grey eyes fell back onto the paper.  _"And I'm... Sorry for what happened..."_

There were a few sets of scribbles, effectively blocking out what must have been Eren's previous attempts to explain what he wanted to say.

_"I know you kind of broke up with me, and I know why, but... I would still like to be friends at least. I like hanging out with you, and I like being around you, so... If you don't hate my guts by now, hopefully we can be friends...?"_

Levi lifted his grey eyes back to Eren again. The brunette was fidgety, shifting back and forth on his feet, his fingers twiddling into fists by his sides. His cheeks were even darker than before, an obvious sign that it wasn't just the cold, but embarrassment as well. Or maybe it was

Levi held the notebook out, prompting for another response from him. What he got in lieu of one, instead of an explanation or a pen so he could talk to him, Eren simply nodded his head and turned around.

"Bye, Levy..." He mumbled. Levi was no less than surprised; Eren was leaving? Hadn't he said he wanted to be friends? So why was he suddenly leaving without Levi getting the chance to explain himself.

"Oi, Eren!" Levi called out and grabbed at his shoulder. He spun Eren around, catching the kid by surprise and knocking his notebook from his hand. Eren quickly bent down to retrieve it, but so had Levi, resulting into the two bumping heads rather hard.

"Ouch...!" Eren whined and rubbed his head. Levi ignored the sting he felt radiating from the new forming bruise on his forehead to yank out a pen of his own, one he had hidden in the pocket of his apron buried under his jacket. He forced the notebook open to a blank page so he could have a fresh start with something at least.

_"Come get a coffee with me."_ He wrote down and showed it to Eren. He somehow seemed even more embarrassed by the words, and Eren pointed to himself, as if trying to be sure. Levi nodded, confirming it, and Eren looked away.

"N-No... It's not... A good idea..." He mumbled quietly under his breath. Levi scoffed before grabbing Eren's wrist and yanking him forward. Eren protested from behind him, but after a few useless pulls, some dragging of his feet, and a few attempts to free himself, Eren gave in. He began walking behind Levi, letting himself get pulled along by the older man to the nearest place to get coffee, the one they had gone to before.

Levi didn't let go of him. Once in line, Eren began fidgeting some more, shifting from side to side, balancing on one foot and then the other. Levi wasn't one to care for staring, but he needed a clear mind, and he needed to think. Levi motioned for Eren to sit at the same booth they had sat at before, and with a small whine, Eren did. This gave Levi the time to think while he waited in line and while he ordered.

He got the same thing as last time, because he didn't want to waste time thinking too much about a cup of coffee and water. When he got his things and sat down by Eren, he could already feel the tense atmosphere. It didn't help that Eren had his head down again, his eyes downcast and his hands gripping at his notebook in his lap like it was a safety raft. Levi set his bottle of water down on the table in front of him, and Eren barely looked up at him.

Annoyed, Levi delivered a quick and harsh kick under the table to the kids shin. Eren audibly yipped, receiving stares from people around them who questioned their behavior. Levi was completely cognizant of them, but he didn't care. He was going to get answers, whether Eren liked it or not.

"Give me your notebook." Levi commanded and pointed to the little blue book in Eren's lap. Eren didn't need to hear him to know what he meant though, handing it over to him willingly, along with the pen he had a death grip on. _"Okay, first I want to know why you tried to walk off."_  He wrote down and gave Eren his pen back.

_"I thought you wanted me to leave?"_

_"What did I do to make you think that?"_ Levi asked. Eren faltered, his eyes falling to the table while his cheeks and ears turned red. _"Kid, I get it, okay? I'm old enough to get the whole teenage thing. I did it once or twice."_

Seeing Eren's lips twitch with a smile was comforting, a sensation Levi hadn't felt since the last time he saw him. He didn't think Eren had gotten under his skin that much, but he was obviously wrong.

All of this just proved it.

_"Eren, pay attention, okay? I don't like repeating myself."_ Levi wrote. For the first time that day, Eren's eyes met his and stayed there. Eren was giving him his full attention, and somehow that took Levi by surprise. He didn't think that would happen, so now that he had Eren's attention, what was he supposed to do? He had been planning to force the information into the brunette's head, but that was because he thought that Eren wouldn't listen.

Knowing that Eren was listening was actually unnerving... Somehow.

_"Eren..."_  Levi's hand stilled, trying to think of how he wanted to say this. He knew, no matter how he explained himself, he'd come out sounding childish. The trick was to figure out how to say what he wanted to say and sound the least but like a kid.  _"You understand why I left, right?"_

Eren nodded his head, his lips forming a thin line. Levi offered him his pen back, and Eren took it with a shaking hand.

_"You said you didn't want to come between me and my family."_ At the words, Levi shook his head, a sigh leaving his thin lips. He pulled his own pen out from his pocket and began writing, feeling Eren's eyes on him the entire time.

_"No, do you understand? Eren, your family is important to you. They're your only family, and that doesn't change. You can't say stuff like that to your sister, because she may not be there tomorrow."_ Eren was a child, so of course he didn't want to listen to reason. When he looked away, an obvious sign of his stubbornness, Levi kicked him again under the table. _"I'm serious, Eren."_

_"She's so annoying."_  Eren relented.

_"It doesn't matter. Would you rather have her not care at all, even if something bad were to happen to you?"_ Levi asked, his eyes narrowed with a serious expression. Eren seemed taken aback by the question, eyes widening and curious about the statement

He had never thought of it that way, had he?

_"I..."_ Eren wrote down, but then stopped. He really hadn't thought about it at all, and the stillness of his pen proved it.

_"Eren, she's your family. I won't get in the way of that."_ With the finishing of his words, Eren's eyes fell to his lap, his pen hanging loosely in his fingers. It was only then that Levi realized that Eren had taken that into his own words. He had read something totally different, and although it was partially true, Levi knew.

He knew he couldn't stay away.

_"Sorry..."_  Eren wrote.

_"Eren,"_  Levi began and kicked at Eren's shin once more. The yip that escaped him was louder, alerting Levi that he kicked in the same spot. With an annoyed and pointed glance at Levi with gold eyes, the older man continued to write.  _"I still want to be your friend though."_

He felt like such a child for using such words. He felt like this was some kindergarten playtime with two five year olds, and he was nowhere near five. However, the look that formed on Eren's face, the vivid happiness that shined in his big, golden eyes was almost laughable. Levi could have smiled at how happy Eren suddenly was just by this small piece of information.

"Eh...?" Eren sounded out while his eyes moved from the words in the notebook to Levi himself.

_"Eren, I told you that I liked you. You're a good kid, and I like hanging out with you."_  Looking up, Levi saw a small smile spread Eren's lips into a wide grin. He was truly happy to hear all of this, and knowing that Levi was able to make the kid smile like it was Christmas was extremely gratifying.  _"Besides, even with Hanji at the bookstore, it's still too fucking quiet. It gets boring when you and Arlert aren't there."_  He added with a smirk.

Eren laughed, his head turning away for a moment. Levi scarcely saw the sight of tears lining the kid's eyes, making them glassy and red. He sighed while waving his hand to catch the brunette's attention. When Eren managed a small, timid look up to the older man, Levi reached forward and brushed his finger under his eye. Eren chuckled under his breath, wiping at the other eye to hide the tears he knew were welling up.

"Stupid kid..." Levi mumbled under his breath, but he didn't want the comment taken into heart.

He was happy to have Eren back.


	10. Protective Big Sister

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for the late updates! I have actually had two colds in the past two weeks, and the second cold gave me a nasty sinus infection. I'm finally getting over it though! Please no more colds. I can't miss anymore school so close to graduation. T^T I lost my new laptop to a broken mother board (Three months old, 1000 dollars later. e-e) I have my new one now, and everything was taken off of the old laptop before it was junked. Yeah. Stuff happened. This is why I say follow my tumblr. XD
> 
> But hey! I'm finally back on track! Updates~! I'm so glad to be putting stuff up again, because I've been bored!!! >.

**The Change You Wish to See**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mile character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Protective Big Sister**

* * *

_3:32 p.m. Levi:_

_"You've got to be kidding me."_

The great thing about having his sister and friend in public school was that he got to have freedom at home during the day. He really didn't do much; he'd do school work, chores, play some video games, walk around the house in sheer boredom, and do just about anything else he could do to pass time. Besides seeing Levi at the bookstore, which he still needed Armin for after he "convinced" Mikasa that he and Levi were just friends, these were his only moments of freedom.

_"No, I'm not."_

This meant that he could do whatever he wanted. As previously stated before, however, there wasn't much he did. He would mainly send messages to Levi most of the time, which worked both ways considering Levi didn't do much at his job. They didn't talk about much when they did talk, however. They mainly got to know each other, but there was only so far Eren would go before something got uncomfortable for him, and he noticed that Levi acted like that at times as well.

_3:34 p.m. Levi:_

_"Brat, you're just asking Lucifer to write out our passes to hell, aren't you?"_

Eren wondered if he would ever know more about Levi. Levi didn't like to talk about his times as someone younger; he liked staying on the topics of anything past his days in college. Whenever Eren asked about Levi's family, the older man had a sneaky way of changing the subject and never answering Eren's questions. Eren tried steering the subject back to his family, but then Levi would seem upset, and that was when Eren knew not to breech the subject again.

_"No, I really just want you to join us! It would be fun?"_

Levi asked about him, and Eren was more lenient on answering tougher memories. He came to find out that Eren was an only child, but when they were eight, Mikasa was adopted. To her unfortunate luck, her house was robbed while she was at school, and her parents never picked her up. Eren's parents instantly took her in, for Eren's father was the doctor that found her parents, and she had become the protective and frightening older sister that Levi knew today.

Armin was different. He was an orphan as well, having lost his parents to a group of thugs from another country. Armin's parents loved to travel, loved seeing the world and what it had in store for them, and their passions eventually got them killed. His grandfather took care of him, but he only made it to Armin's tenth birthday before he was put into a home for elders. Armin was thankfully taken in by Eren's parents as well, and two years later, Armin's grandfather passed away, but the story around and after that time was fuzzy.

Eren never talked about anything from the "accident." Anything prior to the age of nine was fine, and Eren seemed okay talking about things after his fifteenth birthday. Anything about anyone other than him were fine as well. Anything between those times were blanks, but Levi had some ideas. With the sob stories Mikasa and Armin possessed, he could imagine Eren's being quite similar, or, God forbid,  _worse._

All he knew now was that the three of them lived together, having inherited the house from Eren's parents at the coming age of eighteen. Armin was getting his degree in Physiology and worked part-time in the school's public library. Mikasa was getting a degree in teaching, because, surprisingly enough, she loved children. Levi barely believed Eren when he told him that. She worked a few miles away at a rather popular restaurant, but Levi hadn't heard of it before, probably because it was one of those expensive restaurants that Levi couldn't afford to eat at. She worked from four to ten on weeknights, and on weekends, she worked twelve hour shifts. The girl was nineteen years old, only older than Eren by a month or two, and she worked something similar to what Levi worked. Of course Levi was a grown man who had no life to live, so his hours were acceptable. Hers weren't.

Eren was in online school, but Levi knew better. Eren's degree was for business, but the kid loved to write, and he showed his passions for it. After having to write so much, he developed a great skill at creating vivid imagery. Eren liked to doodle little stories into his notebook when he wasn't talking to Levi, or when he thought no one was looking. Levi peeked over his shoulder every now and again to read and find out what it was he was writing about, and Levi was always left impressed. The whole business degree was just Eren buying time so he could figure out what he really wanted to do, but Levi was going to leave that decision to him. That was Eren's life choice, and he had to make it on his own.

_3:35 p.m. Levi:_

_"Kid, don't you ever listen to yourself? Let's reiterate: You're asking me to come to your place for Thanksgiving, where your sister will be waiting for me with a knife to carve the turkey after she's done with me. Is that about right?"_

Eren's golden eyes moved over the words with a small blush on his cheeks. He curled onto his side, phone charger dangling over his shoulders as he sighed. This man was a hard man to convince of things. Of course, what Eren was asking of him was rather impossible in its own way. It was true that Mikasa knew they had split up, but still, asking this of her and his best friend was difficult, and now that they weren't together, she was mad at Levi for upsetting Eren.

Could Levi ever win against this girl? Considering it was Mikasa, probably not.

Before Eren began writing his response, Levi was already sending him another text.

_3:35 p.m. Levi:_

_"It's sweet of you to invite me over for Thanksgiving, but that's a family thing. Enjoy that with your sister and Armin."_

_"But you can't be alone on Thanksgiving! That's not right at all! That's like saying you're going to be alone on Christmas!"_ Eren's reply was meant to sound enthusiastic, but it came out more charged with anger than enthusiasm.

_3:35 p.m. Levi:_

_"Eren, did you even ask Mikasa or Armin if this was okay with them? Even if I said yes, have they agreed to it as well?"_

Eren felt his throat constrict at the words.

No, or course he hadn't asked either of them. He had meant to run over the idea quickly with Levi just to see what he thought of it, but ended up begging him to come over instead. He completely forgot the original goal in his mind, which was just to plant the idea into the older man's head and let it simmer. Now he had no choice but to convince the man fully, and then try to find a way around his sister.

Or better yet, a loophole.

Armin was easy, and he'd probably say yes if Eren begged enough. He'd break and say yes easily,  _especially_ if Eren begged. He was easy to manipulate when Eren gave him some big puppy eyes and whimpered.

It was Mikasa who would be tough. She'd say no over and over again, and no amount of begging would help him. She didn't like Levi, and after the news that they broke up, she hated him even more. She didn't even care that Levi broke up with Eren in the first place to keep their relationship alive. She was angry with him no matter what happened, which is why Levi could never win.

If he could convince Armin first, maybe then she would say yes?

It wasn't Mikasa and her feelings that Eren cared much for, however. It was Armin's.

Armin was quiet about it, yes, but he couldn't hide his emotions as well as he thought he could. When Levi and Eren broke it off, anyone could tell that seeing Eren so heartbroken upset Armin profoundly. He didn't lose respect for Levi after the reasons, but he wasn't very happy with him either. Armin didn't want Eren getting hurt like that again.

He didn't show it as much, but he was definitely just as protective of Eren as Mikasa was. He just knew how to relax enough so Eren could live on his own.

The problem was just getting him to agree. After all, this was Thanksgiving, a time for family, and Levi wasn't family, not by any means. Family was important to the three of them, and after a few years of lonely holidays with just them, suddenly inviting someone else into the frame? Eren could see why they would say no.

So of course he didn't ask them. He just wanted to ask, but ended up begging instead. He just didn't want Levi being alone. The older man said that he thought about going to Hanji's again, which meant he spent his time there before for holidays, but that wasn't right, not at all.

And then Eren thought of something.

It wasn't right for Levi to come over, but what if Hanji was invited? Then it wasn't just Levi and discomfort for the four of them, but Hanji as well. It wasn't just Levi, but both of them, and then it would really seem like he was just inviting friends to their dinner on Saturday.

But he was just inviting friends, wasn't he?

 _"Hey, would Hanji like to come as well?"_  Eren wasn't even wasting time going over the idea completely in his head. He hit send before he could give it another thought, and he waited in the dense silence.

It didn't take long to get a reply.

_3:40 p.m. Levi:_

_"Are you out of your fucking mind? Why not invite some of the prostitutes on the side of my road while you're at it?"_

Eren sighed. He couldn't say that Levi's answer surprised him at all.

_"Why not? Then it's less pressure. It's just two friends over for dinner."_

Another message popped up onto his screen before he had the chance to hit send. He distantly recognized the number from Hanji's cellphone, but that was too coincidental for her to text him, right?

_3:41 p.m. Hanji:_

_"Oh Eren! You're just too adorable! Of course I'll come, you little cutie you!"_

Eren tilted his head at the message. How did Hanji know they were talking about her? Unless Levi told her about their plan already, he didn't have the foggiest idea of how she could have known.

_3:42 p.m. Levi:_

_"Sorry, she looked over my shoulder and saw the message... And now she won't shut up."_

_3:42 p.m. Hanji:_

_"What time is dinner? Should I bring anything over? Does Levi need to bring anything? Don't worry, I'll make sure he brings something edible if he does. He'll take up some cooking classes so he can't poison you guys by accident."_

_3:43 p.m. Levi:_

_"Goddamn it. I blame you for this, Eren."_

Eren laughed at the numerous amount of messages suddenly pouring into his phone.

Weren't they both at work right now?

Eren would have questioned this more, but he felt the vibrations of their house move. He lifted his head up, the realization of what time it was sinking in. He got up from bed, shoving his phone into his pocket as he made his way downstairs.

The front door was wide open, allowing a flustered Armin through with his backpack filled with books. The blond came home with all of his books again, and again he didn't bother to try carrying one or two. He did it the difficult way and stuffed them all into an under-sized book bag that would eventually break his tiny back if he didn't stop his reckless ways.

Mikasa followed close behind, some grocery bags in her hands and her backpack hanging off of one shoulder. She was just as flustered as Armin was, probably from the extreme workout (because she was that stubborn and wouldn't accept help from Armin). The two of them ever so rarely had a break.

"Hi," Eren said softly, almost a whisper. Had the two of them not seen him, they probably wouldn't have noticed it.

"Hi Eren," Armin said and dropped to the nearby table. Mikasa followed, allowing her book bag to fall with an extremely heavy thud against the table. Eren felt the vibrations from it as it landed, the feeling making him jump in place. She was in a particularly funny mood today, wasn't she?

 _"How was school?"_  Eren signed. In lieu of an answer, Mikasa set the grocery bag down and bolted out of the room. He watched her disappear up the stairs, but that was the last he saw of her.  _"What's her problem?"_ He asked.

"Work called her. They need her to come in today and cover a shift." Armin explained while resting his chin down on the table.

 _"But today was a vacation day for her. She hasn't had one this year either!"_ Eren made a sound of protest as he moved to sit down by Armin. _"They can't do that, can they?"_

"I'm not sure. She said yes, but she isn't happy about it. She had plans to make a nice dinner for us tonight and everything."

 _"Can't she just call them back and say she can't do it after all?"_  In response, Armin simply shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know, but why fight it? Mikasa wouldn't be short on her paycheck this week now.

"She took up the shift, so we need to leave her be." Armin sighed as he removed his heavy backpack. Eren felt his phone vibrating in his pocket like crazy, and out of curiosity, Eren pulled it out to read the messages.

3:46 p.m. Hanji:

" _Gah! Levi is so incredibly boring on the holidays! It's just us eating at the table, and there only because he doesn't want me eating on the couch and making a mess! Why are you such a clean freak, Levi?"_

3:46 p.m. Levi:

" _Hanji, you're two fucking feet away from me. Why in God's name are you asking me that through a text message?"_

Eren laughed as he took up a seat beside Armin at the table. Armin looked up at him, tilting his head to rest on the table with a small smile.

" _Are you talking to Levi…?"_  He signed to Eren. The brunette nodded his head before pushing his phone into his pocket

" _He and Hanji are having an argument, and it's really funny."_  Eren hummed as he lowered his head onto the table, following Armin's position to the point. He didn't see how this was comfortable for his neck, but if Armin was doing it, Eren really didn't have any arguments.

" _I'm glad you and Levi are still friends."_  Armin signed to him. Ere paused.

"…  _You are?"_ He asked.

"Yeah." Armin said and nodded his head.

" _Why…?"_

" _Because it was good for you to get out and live outside of the house. I know Hanji and Levi are good people, so it's not like you're hanging out with crazy nuts anyway."_ Armin chuckled as he sat up a little, just enough to set his chin on his hands.

" _Hanji is crazy. She doesn't get offended by calling her it either."_  Eren pointed out, glad to see Armin was still smiling. That would change quickly.  _"So… You like them?"_

" _Of course. They're good people."_

" _So then… Would you be okay with them coming over for Thanksgiving?"_ Eren hesitated, but asked anyway. Armin's expression changed quickly, the smile on his lips falling, just like Eren had predicted.

"Oh… Eren, n-no…" Armin mumbled and shook his head.

" _Please, Armin? It's only for one day, for just an hour or two. Hanji could bring some food over, and Levi-"_

" _Eren, really."_ Armin signed, stopping his friend from arguing any further _. "That's just not a good idea. Why would they want to be over here anyway? Why don't they go to their families for the time being?"_

" _Levi doesn't talk about his family, and I don't know if Hanji has any family left. She doesn't talk about them either."_ Eren sighed. "Please…?"

" _Honestly, I'm not comfortable with the idea of it myself. Thanksgiving is really just for family, and I was expecting just us to do that."_

" _I know, but-"_  Eren stopped when he felt his sister walk into the room. He turned, finding her walking over to the fridge, seemingly in a better mood, though not quite as happy as Eren would have liked her to be.

"Ready for work?" Armin asked her.

"Yeah, and we got here faster than I expected. I've got another ten minutes before I have to leave." Mikasa said, rolling her shoulders around as she got a cold water bottle out of the fridge to drink. She leaned against the counter, uncapping the water bottle and taking a huge swig of the drink. That seemed her calm her nerves some, making her smile.  _"So what were you guys talking about?"_ She asked.

Armin shared a look with Eren, as if warning his friend not to bring it up. Obviously, however, Eren had other plans.

" _Well…"_ Eren began, but the blond grabbed at his arm to get his attention.

" _Eren, please don't bring this up now."_  Armin pleaded with him. Things were finally quiet between the three of them, and Armin really didn't want any more tension between them.

" _Bring what up? Did you fail another test, Eren?"_  Mikasa asked, slightly annoyed.

Oh, if only it were that simple.

"No," Eren mumbled and shook his head. He hated it that she would instantly assume it had something to do with his grades. He was on the Dean's List. What could there possibly be to worry about _? "We were taking about-"_

" _Eren,"_ Armin warned.

"Stop it, Armin." Mikasa said, setting the water bottle down on the counter. Armin looked away, knowing that tone from the older teen's voice. She knew something was wrong. She was on to their act.  _"Let him talk."_

" _We were… I was talking about the idea of having Hanji and Levi over for dinner on Thanksgiving."_ Eren said, though he left out the part about Armin and his involvement in the situation, which wasn't much. He didn't want his friend getting in trouble with her, because he couldn't stand watching them fight.

Although, now he wasn't so sure.

He wasn't really sure what expression showed on Mikasa's face. It hadn't been one he had seen before, but he was terrified nonetheless. She almost looked calmer than anything else, though she also looked annoyed, irritated, maybe a little pissed off. It was hard to tell with her.

" _It was just an idea though. Of course I wanted to talk to you guys about it first."_ Eren added, though it didn't seem to help him any. Mikasa looked away, her cheek hallowing out, as if she was biting on the inside of it. She probably was, anything to keep herself from barking.

"Mikasa…?" Armin questioned. Mikasa's fingers tapped at the counter for a moment before she turned away, looking down at Eren.

"You know what?" She asked, and she didn't bother signing. She didn't care if Eren could read her lips or not; she just wanted to say it. "Do whatever you fucking want."

And with that, Mikasa grabbed her keys from the table and left the room. There was a pregnant pause in the room before the two teens flinched, Armin hearing the front door slamming shut and Eren feeling it vibrating through the house.

Oh, she was pissed.

Armin sighed, lowering his head into the palms of his hands. This was all going terribly wrong.

"I'm sorry…" Eren mumbled. "… Just an idea…" He looked down into his lap, knowing that he had just messed up the situation and only made it worse.

" _There's nothing we can do about it now…"_ Armin signed and stood up. Eren watched the blond leave the room, feeling a sense of dread coming over him as he left without another word.

He didn't mean for this to happen.

* * *

It was late when Mikasa got home. Very late. Her shift always ended at ten, and she'd usually be home by ten fifteen, or somewhere around those numbers. Mikasa was home by midnight, and Eren was very nearly asleep when he felt her walk into the living room.

He had taken to sitting on the couch, waiting for the girl to come home so he could apologize and hopefully make things right, but he didn't think she'd be gone that long. He wasn't sure if the shift she picked up was longer than usual, or she had stayed longer just to stay away from the house, but it was still too late for her to be coming home. A nineteen year old girl shouldn't be out so late. At least that's what Eren thought.

He lifted his heavy head from the arm of the couch, looking around the room for a moment to find her in the darkness. Mikasa was lingering in the kitchen, removing her jacket and setting it on the chair to the table. Eren watched as she grabbed at the water bottle she had left on the counter earlier that day, or rather,  _yesterday_ , and took it with her as she went upstairs to her room.

Eren rubbed at his eyes before standing up, tugging the blanket with him to keep warm as he followed. Without his hearing, he truly didn't know how much noise he made around in the house. He could guess some, because he could feel the stairs creaking and groaning under his added weight, but he wasn't sure just how loud that could be.

Mikasa's bedroom door was cracked open, letting some light into the hallway. Eren followed that light all the way to her room before peeking into the room, finding her on the bed with her back turned away from the door, facing the wall against her bed. Had Mikasa fallen asleep already? Had she fallen asleep in her work clothes and on top of the blankets on a cold night like this?

No. Eren could see her shoulders shaking, her body shivering like she was cold, but he knew better. While he didn't doubt that she was cold, he knew that she wasn't shaking from that alone.

Mikasa was crying.

Eren watched for a few moments longer, a small sigh leaving him before he pushed his way into her room. He wasn't sure how quiet he could be; Eren knew he had very heavy feet, but Mikasa didn't seem to notice him in the least. It wasn't until he sat down on the edge of the bed that his sister wiped at her eyes and bolted up from her spot, trying to hide the evidence.

"Don't be dumb…" Eren said disparagingly. Mikasa huffed a sigh, rubbing the palms of her hands into her cheeks. Even though she knew she had been caught, she felt like she could still somehow hide the evidence.

She had to be strong, had to be immortal for someone who truly wasn't.

" _What's wrong? Couldn't sleep?"_  Mikasa asked, her eyes low and glaring daggers at the ketchup stains in her pants.

"Mikasa," Eren said in a warning tone. He lifted his hand up from the blanket, only to sign something to her before tossing part of the blanket over her shoulders.  _"Where have you been?"_

" _I was at work."_  She answered, shifting uncomfortably when Eren tried to lay down with her.

" _Work ends at ten for you."_ Eren signed and tugged at her arm.

" _I stayed a little longer. There's nothing wrong with that."_ Mikasa almost growled as she tugged her arm away from Eren's grasp. The brunette was having none of that, however, and forcibly tugged until the girl was being held down on her back. She whined and she complained, though it fell on deaf ears, until she had no choice but to give in. Her brother was just stubborn that way.

" _It's a problem when you have school tomorrow."_  Eren explained, his big, golden eyes glaring daggers at her.

" _The recommended amount of sleep is six to eight hours. I can sleep now and still have enough sleep to wake up and not be fatigued, but only if you get out and let me."_  Mikasa's hands were visibly shaking as she signed, and Eren was sure the girl was probably hungry, along with cold and just exhausted. Eren wanted to let her sleep, truly he did, but things needed to be fixed before this got out of hand. There was still something he could do to fix it.

" _You're pissed at me. I know you are."_ Eren declared. Mikasa stiffened immediately. Obviously he hit the nail on the head.

" _I'm not."_  Mikasa bluffed.

" _Mikasa, I really didn't think you'd be so pissed off. It was just an idea. If you're that upset by it, Levi and Hanji don't have to come at all."_  Eren reassured, sitting up slightly to look down at the girl. Still his sister's eyes hadn't looked at his once.

" _That's not it, Eren."_ Mikasa tried rolling onto her side, but Eren wouldn't let her.

" _What is it then?"_  Eren asked. Mikasa tried once more to break free, but it was a fruitless attempt that got her nowhere. "Mikasa-"

" _I don't know,"_  Mikasa signed, her eyes finally looking up to meet his.

" _Are you mad?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Well don't be. I'll tell Hanji and Levi another time."_  Eren assured.

" _Don't do that."_

" _I'm confused, Mikasa."_ His brother signed.  _"You want them to come over?"_

"No," Mikasa growled, but Eren could still read her lips.

" _Well then why don't you want me telling them different?"_

" _I don't want you to be mad at me."_

And so the truth finally came out, and with it, a stray tear managed to slip its way past Mikasa's narrowed eyes. She wiped it away quickly, but her eyes were reddening and becoming puffy. Her defenses were weakening, her walls breaking down, and Eren knew that this was his chance.

" _Mad at you…?"_  Eren asked, to which all Mikasa could do was cross her arms over her chest and nod her head. "I'm not mad at you…" He mumbled under his breath while shaking Mikasa's shoulder. It was only then that he was reminded of something crucial that he hadn't thought of for a while now.

' _I hate you!'_

He had forgotten about that, but obviously Mikasa hadn't. He didn't think anything of it, but apparently the words affected her greater than he thought they would. It had been weeks ago, but now that Eren realized it, Mikasa had been quiet since then. He hadn't put two and two together, and this was the outcome.

"Mikasa…" Eren sighed and draped an arm over his sister's stomach, effectively covering her with the blanket he still had wrapped around himself. "I didn't mean it…" He said softly. Mikasa looked over to him, her eyes still narrowed defensively at him. She looked unforgiving, unmoving, like she wasn't budging an inch for a second, and Eren knew why.

It wasn't hard for him to read her. For others, it might have been, but Mikasa was an open book to him.

"I don't hate you…"

It needed to be said in his own voice, not signed, and not read in a notebook. She needed to  _hear_ him say it, not read it. It was the only way the meaning could truly get to her, and it worked.

Mikasa's bottom lip trembled as she looked away, bringing a hand up to her face to wipe tears away that were freely falling now. Eren tilted his head some before helping, rubbing the pads of his fingers under her eyes that seemed darker than usual. A lack of sleep would do that to anyone, and Mikasa was no exception. How many countless nights had she spent crying herself to sleep?

"I'm sorry, Mikasa…" Eren continued. Mikasa nodded her head, wordlessly agreeing to him, even when she wanted to say something. Eren poked at her arm, getting her attention so she could look at him.  _"You know you're the only girl for me."_ Eren signed with a smile.

" _Idiot,"_  She chastised before slapping at her brother's shoulder. Eren smiled before pulling Mikasa against his body quickly, keeping her from having the time to protest again. Mikasa didn't put up much of a fight, however, opting to rest her head against Eren's arm and hide her face in the median of his neck and shoulder. This position was easy to relax in, easy to  _sleep_  in. She was so  _exhausted_.  _"Eren, I need to apologize too."_ She had enough cognizance to lift her hand and continue signing to him.

"For what?" Eren asked.

" _I didn't mean to yell at you, or to make you so upset."_ Mikasa didn't lift her head as she signed. "I lost my temper…"

" _As you usually do."_ Eren had to say, because Mikasa wouldn't see it in this position.

" _You know I don't mean it, right? I don't mean to be so hard on you…"_ Mikasa signed while looking up at him.

" _I know. You'll apologize for it, say you won't do it again, but you will. I know you do it out of love. At least I have that."_

"Eren," Mikasa whined, actually  _whined_ , and jabbed at her brother's shoulder. Eren chuckled lightly, taking no offense to her behavior.  _"It's bad that you know that so well, isn't it?"_

" _Yeah, it kind of is."_

" _I'm sorry,"_  Mikasa sighed.

" _It's okay. I know you do it only because you don't want anything happening to me. I'm telling you though that Levi wouldn't do anything like that."_ Eren persisted. Mikasa groaned, and Eren could feel the vibrations of it against his chest.  _"Mikasa-"_

" _You can invite him…"_  Mikasa admitted in defeat.

" _Really…?"_ Eren asked, elated as he suddenly sat up from the bed.

" _So long as Hanji comes with him,"_ Mikasa added, though it didn't drop Eren's spirits. He was barely able to keep himself in the bed, and he had to bite his own hand to keep himself from cheering. Armin was still asleep in the other room, and Eren didn't want to run the risk of waking him up. Poor Armin had trouble sleeping enough as it was.

" _Thank you, Mikasa! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"_ Eren signed over and over again. Mikasa wanted to respond, but Eren flopped on top of her and pressed numerous amounts of sloppy, brother versus sister kisses all over her face. Mikasa all but shouted at him while pushing at his shoulders, but Eren weighed more than he looked, and with all of his body weight resting against her, the fight was one that she couldn't win like this.

The only reason it stopped was because there was a knock on her bedroom door, one she heard and one Eren felt. The two of them looked back to see a sleepy Armin standing at her door, blanket wrapped around his shoulders, pajamas hanging loose off of his body, hair askew, and looking too adorable for someone at the tender age of nineteen.

"Am I interrupting, or can anyone join in?" He asked in a scratchy voice while rubbing at his eyes.

"Sure, come on in." Mikasa said as she managed to push Eren to lay on her right side. Armin did without any complaints, sitting down on the side of her bed before laying on his back, his head falling against Eren's arm. He rolled onto his side, tossing the blanket haphazardly over Eren as he cuddled into the older teen's chest to stay warm.

" _Is it cold in your room?"_  Eren asked. Armin quietly nodded his head, his eyes closing softly.

No, that was a lie. It wasn't cold in his room at all. He just had to make sure his family didn't kill each other while he was sleeping. He didn't want to wake up to a violent scene in the morning.

"Hey, Armin…" Eren mumbled and shook his shoulder. Armin startled, his eyes opening in surprise. He hadn't realized he was falling asleep until Eren managed to wake him up.

"Hm…?" Armin hummed while looking up at Eren with his tired, blue eyes.

" _Mikasa says I can invite Levi and Hanji over for Thanksgiving."_  Eren signed with a wide smile.

At first, Armin thought it was a joke. There was no way that would happen, but as he looked over to Mikasa to see her fast asleep, huddled under half of Eren's blanket, he realized that it was probably the case. Mikasa didn't want Eren mad at her, not at all, and if it meant letting Levi over to make him happy, then she would have given in.

"Oh…" Armin lowered his voice to a whisper, and then let I disappear as he began signing.  _"So you two resolved things?"_  He asked.

"Yeah," Eren said with an enthusiastic nod of his head.  _"I think it'll be okay from here. She just has to see that Levi is a good person, and then she won't worry about me as much."_  He explained while rolling onto his side to face Armin. Armin let him, adjusting himself so they could sit comfortably without waking Mikasa.

" _That's great, Eren. Just be patient with it though. It won't happen overnight."_  Armin reminded with a tired smile. Eren nodded his head before yanking Armin against his chest, keeping his arms around the blonde's shoulders so he couldn't get away. Armin tried, but all of his efforts were in vain. Armin wasn't what one would consider strong, not by any means, so he knew his attempts would prove worthless. He simply settled against the brunette quietly, his arms lifting and hands settling against Eren's chest. He closed his eyes, ready for sleep to take over his senses once again, but it wasn't so easy this time around.

If he were being honest, he didn't think that they'd resolve things. He didn't think that Eren would manage to convince Mikasa of letting Hanji and Levi come over, especially Levi. He didn't think they'd work it out, and now he was at a loss.

He couldn't come out and say that he didn't want them over, because he didn't want Eren upset. This was important to him, and if it meant something to Eren, it meant something to Armin. However, he hadn't much time spent with real family. Since his parents and grandfather died, he'd been all alone. Mikasa and Eren had been the only family he'd had for years now. It may have been selfish, but there were times where he only wanted just his family.

It was extremely selfish, but that was all he wanted. They worked so hard all year, barely had time for each other, and only a few times a year did he get to have them to himself. Now he had to share? Selfish, but it was all he wanted. He couldn't tell anyone though.

He had to suffer alone through this.


	11. Deal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took me like, what? 2 weeks to update this? Psh, no problems. xp Anyway, hurray for an update! This chapter contains a diss towards myself and morals! I was not aware that this story was going to have morals! However, when I look at it now, it does indeed have morals! That should be in the trigger warnings.
> 
> Warning: This story contains painfully true morals.

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter Eleven:** **Deal**

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What lead to what happened that night could only be described as a series of unfortunate events, but the end results weren't as predicted.

Eren told Levi and Hanji to join him and his family at his house at seven. He said the turkey would be done by then, so all that had to be done was set the table and eat. It sounded like a sound plan, didn't it? It should have been.

However, fate was a cruel thing. It was a sick joke played on him from God, as was much of his life, but as said before, the end results weren't as bad as he thought.

He was nervous all day, and seeing Mikasa on edge, waiting with the knife to carve the turkey didn't help him any. Armin was nervous too, more so because he was afraid of what Mikasa would do when Levi got there. He was sure she wouldn't blatantly kill him, but harsh words would be exchanged. That he was sure of.

Levi knew just how much she disliked him,  _loathed_  him really, and that was no secret to anyone else. Even Hanji was a little skeptical of the night, but she hid that skepticism well with a warm pan filled with baked potatoes and a smile. Levi simply ignored any looks that came his way the moment he entered the house, because looks  _were_ being thrown at him.

"Thank you so much for inviting us!" Hanji chirped in her usual excitement that could match a child at Christmas. Armin took the pan from her to set it in the kitchen, but not without a bone crushing hug from her that managed to make him squeak. "It's been forever since I've seen you!"

"Y-Yeah," Armin huffed, rolling his shoulders to relieve the ache her hug created.

"It's only been a few days Hanji. He was in the store last week." Levi reminded her while taking off his coat. Eren took it from him and hung it up on the coat hanger by the front door, a nervous smile spreading his red cheeks. When he turned back to his friends and family, he was met with what could be the most awkward silence he'd ever heard, and he was  _deaf_. Even with his lack of hearing, he could tell that it was ungodly quiet in the room, and that was because Mikasa had just walked in, donning a soft, lace sweater that covered a pale, pink t-shirt. She looked very nice, but her stare was frightening. Eren wanted to duck and cover behind Armin and Hanji, but he was surprised when he saw Mikasa's hand lift.

"Good to see you again," She said, but also signed to prove that she was behaving herself for Eren.

"Good to see you too." Levi said with a nod of the head. Mikasa looked down at the paper bag he was holding, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to know what she was silently asking him. "Oh, I brought some soda." He said and lifted the bag.

Mikasa took it quietly, and just as quiet as she had entered, she left. Armin was a little bit better at hiding his sigh of relief, but Eren all but gasped and heaved the air out of his lungs that he had been holding.

"He brought soda, because he nearly burnt his apartment down trying to cook something." Hanji explained before sauntering off into the kitchen.

"Hey, you know I spilled something on the burner. That's the only reason the smoke detector went off." Levi corrected, but the woman was gone before he could even finish his sentence. Armin chuckled to himself before following her, carrying the pan of potatoes with him into the kitchen. Levi scoffed and rolled his eyes, ready to follow them, only to be stopped when Eren grabbed at the sleeve of his shirt.

"Hi, Levy..." Eren mumbled quietly, his eyes big and wide and asking for something. Levi barely suppressed a smirk as he lifted his hand.

 _"Hey, brat."_ He signed.

Sure, his sign language wasn't the best, and Eren didn't know he was learning it so they could talk, but that was one thing he made sure he knew how to sign.

Eren's mouth all but dropped, but Levi didn't bother to stay and savor the moment. He made himself scarce, walking into the kitchen to find out what kind of trouble Hanji was getting herself into, which she wasn't. Hanji was being good, calm, and relaxed, helping out Armin and Mikasa set the table and with whatever else they needed.

Well, that was one less thing to worry about.

"You got two different sodas?" Mikasa asked while inspecting the two litter bottles of soda Levi had gotten.

"Yeah, I know Eren likes diet, but he said you and Armin don't drink it." Levi explained. Mikasa hummed a quiet response before setting the sodas on the counter beside the cups.

"That was the one thing Levi couldn't catch on fire no matter how much he tried." Hanji said in a sigh.

"Hanji," Levi hissed. The woman was quiet for a moment, staring at him with wide eyes before leaning over to Armin to mumble in his ear.

"Bet he couldn't catch gasoline on fire." She whispered in his ear. Levi groaned before sitting at the table, not caring for any specific order they may have wanted to sit. It didn't seem to be that way as Armin sat down beside Hanji, and Eren plopped right in between Hanji and Mikasa.

Which left Levi next to Mikasa.

"Do you say what you're thankful for?" Hanji asked, though her attention was on the fifty pound turkey in the middle of the table.

"Uhm, yeah, we do." Armin mumbled. "We weren't sure if you did though."

"I do! Levi doesn't like to, but he can suffer for a few moments." Hanji mused. Levi opened his mouth to respond, but Hanji was already continuing before he could utter a syllable. "I'm extremely grateful for my new job where I get to work with my best friend. I'm grateful for my health, my home, and my new friends!" Hanji spoke while shaking Mikasa's shoulder.

This was there the misfortune began.

The suddenness of Hanji's "personality," because that was all Levi could think to call it, knocked Mikasa's drink against her arm, but thankfully she didn't drop the cup. It wouldn't have been much of a worry, except that the drink was of a purple hue, and Mikasa's pale pink shirt was forced into the cross fire.

"Oh, I am so sorry!" The older woman apologized profusely.

"Hanji-" Levi began.

"It's fine," Mikasa said softly while patting a napkin into her damp sleeve. "I know a few tricks for getting stains out. This is easy."

"Mikasa always knew how to get rid of the worst kinds of stains." Armin said with a nervous laugh.

"I had to take care of you two. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise." Mikasa mumbled while setting the damp napkin down on the table. "Carla, Eren's mom, taught me some good tricks especially for blood."

"Oh? Were you two trouble makers?" Hanji asked, and to Levi's annoyance, signed as well. Was he really the only one who couldn't follow what was being said?

Obviously it was. Eren raised a hand and responded, making Hanji burst into laughter. Levi wanted to scowl at what he was missing, but Armin helped him out.

"He said that I was bullied a lot as a kid. Mikasa and Eren were always there to fight for me, but Eren seemed better at receiving punches than giving them." He told the older man. Levi let the information slowly process through his head as he nodded.

"Tis the season of giving!" Hanji joked. "So, who wants to go next?" She asked.

"I'll go," Mikasa said softly, her hand lifting to sign. "I'm grateful for my healthy family, and for my very understanding job."

"That's it...?" Hanji asked.

"That's it." The teen responded.

"I-I'm thankful for the same things, and for my school, and for my health." Armin spoke up and said. Levi wanted to curse at himself for not understanding most of what they were signing. Some of it looked familiar, but most of it was just odd hand motions. "I'm also thankful for the roof over our heads and for this wonderful dinner that Mikasa made."

To that, the girl smiled and nodded her head.

"Amen to that," Hanji agreed enthusiastically.

"Eren...?" Mikasa questioned. Eren lifted his hand and signed his response with a smile. Levi found himself grinding his teeth together as he tried picking up what it was, but he could only recognize a few, such as "thank," and "happy." He did recognize his name, as well as the others. That was a plus side. A few smaller things he could make out, but anything bigger than that left him clueless and wondering why everyone was happy and smiling.

"That was sweet, Eren." Hanji cooed.

"That was. Thank you for that, Eren." Armin said with a big smile. Levi waited for someone to let him in on what Eren had said, but it seemed like he was forgotten about for the time being.

"Okay, Levi, your turn." Hanji announced in her chipper time.

And for all of the times he was forgotten about, the one time he wanted it to happen, and all of their eyes were on him.

He noticed Armin set his fork down, his hands lifting and ready to translate whatever it was Levi was about to say, and what was he about to say?

Hell if he knew.

"Uhm... I-I'm thankful for my job... My home..." A child could tell that Levi was having trouble with this. However, Levi saw Eren's eyes light up as he spoke, as if all of this was putting him on cloud nine. There was no sense in making him fall back down to Earth, right? "I'm thankful for my friends, who have been kind enough to invite me over for thanksgiving..."

At that, Levi saw Mikasa barely roll her eyes. Eren's grin widened considerably as he watched Armin's hands and fingers move deftly, like a professional. It was a little nauseous making trying to follow those hands. How Eren could do it he didn't understand.

"... Okay, I'm done." Levi finished lamely.

"I am so proud of you, Levi." Hanji praised him in a way that made him feel sick. Levi simply sighed, trying to calm the storm raging in his head; lord only knew it'd become a serious headache later on.

This really wasn't easy.

"Alright, so unless anyone else has anything to say, we can eat." Armin concluded and picked up the nearby bowl of steamed potatoes that Hanji had brought.

"Me," Eren said and reached for the bowl.

"Don't do that. You'll knock something over." Armin signed with a small laugh. Levi watched quietly as the four of them began reaching for food, passing it around, or starting up a conversation.

Truth be told, Levi hadn't done this kind of thing before. This was all new to him, new and uncomfortable, because he wasn't the best at social things. While he was a naturally talkative person, he didn't get the chance to do it often, so this was something he lacked experience in.

"Levi...?" Hanji asked while holding out a plate for him. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Levi answered. "Just trying to figure out where I start." He attempted. While Hanji knew that wasn't the case, the others took it for what it was and continued getting their plates ready.

Dinner consisted much of the same manner. They got their food, they ate, Hanji tossed around hundreds of jokes that got Armin and Eren laughing until they cried. Some of those jokes even made the stoic Mikasa crack a tiny smile and a light chuckle. Levi was barely able to hide his.

Levi found out that Armin was a lot like his parents. He loved to travel, loved to learn about everything the world had to offer. He loved to learn about the ocean especially. He loved learning about exotic fish, and had plenty of books on them as well. He said he wanted to travel someday, to go to the ocean, but money was always tight, and he couldn't swing it. He couldn't even put away five dollars every month, because his paycheck went to food while Mikasa's went to bills.

"You two work so hard, and it's really commendable. Don't you ever take a break though?" Hanji asked with a slight frown.

"Wish we could," Armin uttered. "But vacations are pipe dreams these days."

"Tell me about it." Levi openly agreed. "I know where you stand on that subject."

"Your job doesn't pay well?" Mikasa asked, trying to make light conversation.

"Not really. The only reason I can afford as much as I can is because I only work. I'm there from eight to eight every day, and weekends the shop closes early. Even then though, everything goes to bills and food. Sometimes I write letters to Santa hoping he'll cover clothes." Levi joked.

The table filled with an agreeable chuckled, because everyone seemed to be in the same boat. They all knew that position, so it wasn't hard to disagree with.

"It's not the worst job though. People don't come in much, so I'm reading every day and cleaning dust. It could be worse."

"So, just out of curiosity," Armin mused with mashed potatoes on his cheek. "Why is it that you can take out books from there like it's a library if it's a shop?"

"Because my manager is a dipshit who thought it was a good idea." Levi retorted. Armin and Eren snickered, Hanji nodded her head with a grin, but Mikasa didn't seem to take the dipshit comment lightly. "Alright, my turn for curiosity."

"Shoot," Armin said.

"Why is it that Eren doesn't work?" Levi asked. Armin looked up at Levi with his food up to his mouth, but then his eyes drifted over to Mikasa. Levi felt like he got the hint when he looked over at her, seeing her jabbing at a turkey thigh with her fork...  _Lightly_ , but the intentions were still there.

"Well... There's not much he can do..." The blond began. "I-I mean there's plenty Eren can do. He's smart and strong, but... People aren't very accepting of people with disabilities." He muttered.

Mikasa fork clinked into her plate loudly as she dropped it. The four of them looked to her, watching her wipe her mouth with a spare napkin before setting it down on the table.

"I'm going to the bathroom." She announced and stood up from the table. They watched her leave the kitchen and disappear down the hall, but the door that shut didn't sound like a bathroom door.

"Armin...?" Eren questioned. Armin smiled at the brunette before signing to him, explaining that Mikasa had to go to the bathroom, however, Eren's argument was that the bathroom was the other way. Armin assured him that she went to the bathroom, but Eren wasn't stupid. He knew something was up.

"Well uhm... So, are you getting ready for Christmas yet?" Hanji looked over to the two teens and asked.

"We pulled the Christmas tree from the basement yesterday, but we're waiting for a few days before we put it up." Armin answered just as Levi stood up.

"Levi...?" Hanji asked.

"I have to go to the bathroom." He answered before walking out of the room. Levi followed the direction Mikasa had went, finding himself back at the front door. She hadn't left, had she?

When he looked through the glass panels, he saw her standing on the porch, leaning against the railing with her hands holding her arms. Levi checked to make sure she wasn't crying or having a hateful fit before he opened the door to go outside. He was met with a gust of cold air and a glare from the girl, but the cold was worse than her stare. He'd seen worse.

"We thought you left." Levi said as he shut the door behind him.

"No. I just needed fresh air." The teen explained while tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Because of what I said," Levi corrected her. He leaned against the railing beside her, noticing the girl turn her head when he looked at her. "Hey, I get it. I know you don't like me. We're alone, so you don't have to hide it."

"I'm not good at holding back. It's good practice." Levi would have laughed had he known it was a joke, but the sad truth was that it wasn't a joke.

She meant it.

"Well then let's practice." Levi said and turned to face her. "I get that you're protective of Eren, but what is it I've done that's made you hate me so much?"

"Nothing," Mikasa responded.

"Eren would like it if we could get along, and I'm trying. You could at least try too." To that, Mikasa breathed in and let out a heavy sigh, the air leaving her in a foggy puff of air.

"... I don't like anyone who takes Eren away from me." Mikasa mumbled, as if hesitating to speak the truth.

"Who said I was taking him away? He's your brother, and that's not changing because of me."

"Doesn't matter. He wants to spend time with you, and Armin and I don't get enough time with him already. I know it's selfish, but that's just how it is."

"Okay, you're right." Levi nodded his head slowly and agreed. "But what if Eren spent time with me during the day when you aren't around?"

"How so...?"

"Eren wants to spend time with me, but I don't disagree that he should spend time with you two. You're his family, and I know I've said this to him before."

"So what do you suggest?" Mikasa asked.

"Let him work at the shop with Hanji and I." Levi explained to her. Levi saw the words processing in her head, and saw the look of realization forming on her face as they sunk in.

"Wha-"

"Before you say anything, Hanji works the same days I do. Even if I wanted to do something to Eren, she'd never allow it."

"H-He can't work there!" Mikasa sputtered while beginning to pace. Levi could only stand by and watch, not keen on losing a limb if he tried to stop her.

"Why...?"

"He has no idea how to work-!"

"He'd learn on the job."

"He doesn't have good patience-!"

"Neither do I. The job doesn't require it."

"People aren't kind to him!"

"I'll beat their asses for you.

"You're crazy!"

"No matter what you say, my argument beats yours." Levi came back with. Mikasa huffed with annoyance and leaned down against the railing again. This time though, she covered her head with her hands, feeling the beginnings of an oncoming headache. "It wouldn't be so bad. Eren would be making money, and he can help you pay bills. It wouldn't be anything big, but it's a start."

Mikasa rolled her fingers against her temples, trying to calm the thoughts inside of her head. It was too much to think about in such a short amount of time.

"It's not a hard job either. I know I complain about it, but that's because I've been there for five years and it's become repetitive. I know I shouldn't complain though. I should be lucky to have it."

"Okay, I get it." Mikasa huffed with an annoyed tone.

"You don't sound like it." Levi uttered. "Is there some reason you're protective over Eren besides what I'm seeing? Is there something more between you two that I don't know?"

"There's a whole story you don't need to know about." Mikasa mumbled.

"Enlighten me."

"I don't feel like it."

Once again, Levi was left in the dark. Their past was shrouded in secrecy, and Mikasa just wouldn't budge, just like Eren. He thought about asking Armin, but going behind their backs would cause problems, and what if Armin didn't say anything either? It was just another problem to add to the list.

"Alright then," Levi sighed and tapped at the railing supporting the two of them. "Think about the offer. I'm going inside before my toes freeze off. Feel free to join us."

"Wait," Mikasa stopped him just as he began making his b-line straight for the front door. Levi looked back at her while he stuffed his hands into his pockets, hoping to keep them warm as the teen began thinking it over. He could tell that she was thinking over it hard too. Just the look on her face said it all.

"I'm heading for the door." He warned.

"Okay, okay, just... H-How much does your job offer?" Mikasa asked, her head falling into her hands.

"Its minimum wage and you get a few holidays off. If you're hoping for health insurance and stuff like that though, unfortunately there isn't any offered up," Levi explained, his head tilting to the side.

She was really considering it? Levi couldn't have fathomed that she would, but when looking from where she stood, he saw just how much another paycheck would probably help. Not to mention that she wanted Eren happy, and if he got to work a little, then at least he'd have something there besides being home all day. It was all a plus from where Levi saw it, and all she had to do was say yes. At the same time, however, saying yes probably meant she'd be losing something with it. Levi wasn't sure what it was she would lose; her dignity, her self-respect, the list was probably endless. Either way, it meant she'd lose something, and that was where the real fight began.

"I could pick him up once he's done with school work, and I could drop him back off when you guys get home. You wouldn't be losing any time with him." Levi continued. He knew that her biggest concern was not seeing her brother, and she had to be reminded that she wouldn't lose time with him, and neither would Armin. They'd have time with Eren as well, and an extra paycheck to help. It wouldn't be much, but it'd be something to work with.

"... If I see Eren's grades drop even the slightest, it's over." Mikasa warned, her eyes glaring daggers off into the distance, but at what, Levi didn't know. "He has to get his schoolwork done every day, on time, and needs to be home on time. If he's even a minute late-"

"So that's a yes?" Levi asked, hiding the oblivious shock he was feeling. Mikasa sighed heavily, letting go of whatever emotion she was holding in.

"... Yes," She caved in. Levi felt like this was some sort of huge victory, like what he had just accomplished and climbed was some fifty meter wall. He didn't think she'd even  _think_ about it let alone agree to it, but he managed... _Somehow_. "But, if anything at all happens to Eren, I swear-"

"Listen, if anything happens to Eren, I give you full permission to beat the shit out of me. You can even kill me if you want to. I'll stick a note on my desk that says, 'Don't charge Mikasa Ackerman with my murder, because I deserve it.' How does that sound?"

Mikasa remained quiet for a moment, her eyes narrowing at him, deep in thought.

"... I like that idea." She agreed.

"Great, now can we get back inside?" Levi asked while motioning to the door.

"Did your toes freeze off?" Mikasa asked, probably enjoying the idea a little too much.

"Yes, and now my balls are next." Levi retorted.

"Eren doesn't need to hear language like that." Mikasa said from behind him. Levi wanted to remind her that Eren didn't hear at all, but he didn't want to push it. He didn't want to spoil the victory while he had it. Instead, he simply hummed in agreement while they made their way back to the kitchen for dinner.

Hanji, Armin and Eren were still at the table, eating away and trying not to choke on their food while Hanji made them laugh. Without needing to speak, Hanji signed away at the two of them, and both had tears in their eyes from whatever it was she was telling them. Eren had to spit his food into his napkin to avoid choking, and Armin had to down a cup of water if it meant collecting himself.

"We're back," Mikasa announced softly.

"Welcome back!" Hanji greeted and signed. Armin and Eren's laughter died down when he saw the two of them take their seats at the table, but Eren was too cautious to ask what had happened.

"H-How was the bathroom?" Armin asked without signing.

"Pleasant." Levi replied and picked up his fork. "Armin, could you translate something for me?" He asked.

"Oh, y-yeah, sure." Armin said and turned to Eren. He lifted his hands just to get Eren's attention, and when he did, he waited to Levi's response.

"Tell Eren that, if he wants to work at the shop, he can." Levi said. Armin's hands began to move, but once the words clicked in his head, he stopped. He looked over to the two that had just rejoined them and stared, his blue eyes wide in disbelief.

"Really, Levi...?" Hanji beamed, her grin stretching from ear to ear.

"Yeah, but only if he wants to."

"What...?" Eren asked while shaking Armin's hand. He couldn't read their lips; they were all talking too fast, and he wanted to know what was being said that had Armin frozen in shock.

"Eren, do you want to work with us at the shop?" Hanji signed to Eren, yet she couldn't help but bounce in her chair from excitement. Eren's reaction was instant, confusion and excitement that would match Hanji's. He didn't get what was happening yet though, and Levi was slightly anticipating Eren's reaction when he heard he could work with them. "Levi says you can work in the shop if you want to!"

"Really...?" Eren asked, his own smile becoming wide.

"Eren, this means that your school work has to be finished on time every day, your grades need to stay up, and you need to be home when Armin and I are. If any of those rules are broken, this deal is off." Mikasa said and signed to him. Eren didn't even need to be told twice. All he did was jump up from his seat and tackle Mikasa. Had she not grabbed onto Levi's chair, the two of them would have fallen to the floor, chair and all.

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Eren cheered while pressing sloppy, brotherly kisses all over Mikasa's face.

"Oh gross, Eren!" Mikasa shouted, but it fell over deaf ears. Hanji laughed at their actions, watching as Eren attempted to climb into the teen girl's lap, but that was where she truly kept him from crossing the line. The motions only seemed to make Hanji laugh and smile harder. It was hard to decide who was happier about this: Her or Eren?

Levi rolled his eyes at their behavior, just a brief glance at Armin occurring from it, but it was enough for something to catch his eyes. He looked back at the two rowdy teenagers for just a moment to make sure that it was them that Armin was looking at and not something else. When he looked back over at Armin, he could only confirm it. He thought the blond would be happy by this new predicament, and he did look happy, but Levi was the oldest one here. He had gained some knowledge of facial expressions over the years.

The smile on Armin's lips was very apathetic. He was trying to look happy for Eren, from the smile to the raise in his brows, but his eyes spoke another story entirely, and his smile could only do so much.

He wasn't happy about this at all.


	12. Now you Know

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What?! You mean to tell me that this has been updated?! *flails* No but seriously. I am really sorry for this late update. I was at a convention last weekend, and... Wait for it... Wait for it...
> 
> I got lost on the path of life. *shot*
> 
> This chapter was a little hard to write, because the subject is coming up about people with disabilities of any kind being subjected to bullying. This chapter hits a little close to home I guess. ^^'
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See**

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**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter Twelve: Now You Know** **  
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Levi suspected that, for a brat like Eren and his first real job, he'd be good for a few days, and then the fatigue would work its way into him later.

He had no idea what he was thinking.

Every day for the past two and a half weeks, Eren woke up bright eyed and clean, his mood always beaming with energy that Levi didn't understand (Eight hours of sleep could only do so much), and a determination to do his job to the best of his abilities, and he was  _good_  at it. Sure, Eren's job was to organize books, put them back in their proper places, and help dust the place with them. With their third helping hand, Hanji and Levi found that work was done a lot sooner than it usually was, and then the three of them ended up goofing off for the rest of the day. When a client was around, their attitude was as professional as book store keepers could be, but when they were gone, they were back to tossing jokes and jumping off of the ladders like monkeys. At least Eren and Hanji were anyway. Levi thought that would be annoying, but somehow, the little bit of sound was a little more liberating than he thought it would be.

Maybe this change of pace was good for everyone besides Eren. Maybe this was something that everyone needed. Even Mikasa agreed that Eren was happier now, that he was more carefree and relaxed when home. It wasn't like he was edging to get out and live a life. She knew he'd start asking for more and more of that taste of freedom now that he had it, but for now it was nice to see.

When Eren's first paycheck came in, both she and Armin agreed that Eren keep it. Spend it, save it, whatever it was he wanted to do with it, they wanted him to use it for something for himself. It was his first paycheck, and they wanted to make sure he appreciated it. So what did Eren do? On a day when both Armin and his sister had a day off, he forced them into going to the grocery store so he could buy junk food. Popcorn, chips, and soda's; anything that wasn't classified as " _healthy"_ was in that then went and rented a few movies off the television, and the three of them spent that night watching sappy love comedies, horror movies, and action packed adventures.

When Levi came to pick Eren up from work the next day, the image of them all laying on the pull out bed that was once a couch, out cold and brain dead from a night of sugar packed soda, was adorable to say the least. He hated that he had to wake them up, but Armin and Mikasa were late for school, Eren probably hadn't even thought about his school work, and he needed to be at work. That was the only time he was ever late and groggy for work, but he cleared it up after a good shower.

It was going well, far better than he expected it to. Just this one little change was enough to start something up that was making everyone's lives a little easier. Though Levi wouldn't admit it, he liked having Eren around more and more. He was finding out all of the little details that made the brunette "Eren," and all of these little details were intriguing. He didn't know when he started thinking that way; it just suddenly happened, but he couldn't say that he hated it.

However, with Eren around all of the time, Levi was beginning to see what Armin previously meant. When he said that people weren't kind to people with disabilities, he wasn't kidding. Levi didn't think anyone could lose their cool around someone who couldn't hear, though Levi considered himself an exception after their first encounter, but he was proven wrong on a day in December when it first started snowing.

It was just a week before his birthday, and it looked like it was going to be a white Christmas after all with the way the snow was coming down and the forecast for the rest of the week. Eren and Hanji were in awe of the snow outside, standing by the windows and blowing hot breath that fogged up the glass as they jumped up and down in excitement. Levi could tell that Eren just wanted to go out and run around in it, but he couldn't. Levi definitely wouldn't let him if he could either. He wasn't dressed for it after all.

Despite the snow, they had a customer in the store. She was sitting in the far corner of the building at a table, quietly reading a book to herself. Every time Levi checked though, he saw the way she'd look up and glare at the brunette every time he made a sound louder than one decibel. It wasn't like he knew he was doing it. He couldn't hear himself at all to know that he was getting loud, but it wasn't like he was blatantly doing it. Eren was just excited, and he had a right to be.

It wasn't like anyone wasn't telling him either. Hanji would sign to him every now and again to tell him to lower his voice some, and Eren would nod his head in understanding. He couldn't possibly know how to make it lower though when he didn't know how loud it was to begin with.

"Come on, Eren. Let's go in the back and get those silly papers filled out." Hanji told him with an empathetic smile.

"But snow," Eren whined, his tone sounding a little congested. Hanji patted his back before leading him toward the office, because she knew that Eren was on the receiving end of a glare, and she didn't want Eren knowing. She gave Levi a specific glance, and with a nod of the head, the older man confirmed that he was aware of it to.

The woman didn't look like she planned to leave anytime soon, and in this weather, she may have just planned on staying for a few hours. Eren couldn't stay in the back for a few hours though. He wouldn't be able to hold out for that long. They were going to need to find something for him to do, and it needed to last until she left. What could he do though? Anything and everything that Eren could have needed to do was done, and there was nothing left to do in the store. Technically, Levi could create a mess, but Levi making a mess? The chances of seeing Bigfoot get struck by lightning were higher than that.

Levi sighed to himself as he closed his book. He needed to find something for the brat to do; anything really, even if it meant Eren could run down the street to a fast food place and grab food for them. Mikasa would never approve, but it was right down the street. How much trouble could he possibly get in for fifteen minutes?

Levi turned to go get Eren, but stopped short when he heard the bells on the front door ring. He looked back to see a person walking in, a heavy jacket covering them and a hood hiding their head. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know who that was, not when he heard the teen's chattering teeth and muttering something about how cold it was.

"Don't track snow through the store." He instructed the new body. The boy looked up at him and smiled, snow seeming to drop off of him like it was outside.

"Sorry about that. I'll wipe my feet first." He said and took off his hood.

"Relax, Arlert, there isn't much to do here right now anyway." Levi told the blond. "In fact, make a small mess. It'll give us something to do."

"Oh, well I wouldn't want to do that." Armin said and hung up his coat on the nearby hangers.

"You and I can get along very well if you continue to think like that." Levi said and walked behind the counter. Armin laughed as he followed, though he stayed back to avoid walking into personal space.

"So how is Eren today?" Armin asked and looked around, a small frown taking place of his smile. "Speaking of which, where is he?"

"He's in the back organizing things with Hanji." The older man told him. Armin hummed as his answer, his eyes already all over the books. Levi barely held down any questions he had about the boy and his fascination towards them, such as, "Are books like porn to you?" Armin probably wouldn't appreciate a question like that. "So what are you doing here so early today?"

"Ah, well my teacher had to pick his kids up from school, so our classes were let out early." Armin explained.

"Are schools closing because of this?"

"Mhm," Armin mused.

"Why...? It's just a couple of inches of snow." Levi grumbled to himself.

"It got me out of school, so I won't complain." Armin joked and pulled a book down from one of the shelves.

"So do you want me to go get Eren for you?" Levi asked, watching the boy flip through some pages.

"Oh no, if he's working, let him be. I'll just sit here for a while and read." Armin assured and walked over to one of the tables.

"You sure...?" The older man inquired.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Armin said, and Levi shrugged his shoulders in agreement.

"Alright then. You want anything to drink? We've got hot chocolate in the back." Levi offered.

"Yeah, that'd be great." Armin said with a smile. Levi nodded his head quietly before going to get what he had offered. When he came back, he found Armin sitting at one of the nearby tables, his eyes deeply imbedded into the book he had picked up not too long ago.

Levi never found himself to be so immersed in a book before, so he could never understand how Armin could do it, and do it so fast. He envied him though. He wished so many times in his life for something that could distract his mind, and books were just barely one of those things.

"Here you go," Levi announced and set the boy's cup down on the table. Armin seemed to jump in surprise, as if those less than two minutes were enough time for the world around him to go blank and for the book to do its job.

"Oh, thank you," He said and picked up the cup, almost as if he forgot that the offer had even been made. Levi sat down beside him, his fingers working through his own cup of hot chocolate to keep it warm as the teen went to sip his. "Mh, it's warm," Armin mused happily.

"Must be a nice change from outside, right?" Levi asked and took a big gulp of his own.

"Very, thank you again." Armin said, his fingers clutching the cup tightly to warm up his hands.

"Not a problem." Levi leaned back in his chair, but he opted to keep his feet off of the table. He needed to keep them clean, although the thought of work for Eren did pop up into his head. "So, how's work been?" He asked the blond.

"Okay, I guess. If it keeps snowing like this I won't have any." Armin joked, though his eyes were drifting to the book like he was trying to put his attention back on that instead of the older man talking to him.

"That'd be nice." Levi mused. "What would you do if you got that opportunity?"

"Umm... I guess stay at home with Eren. Probably play some video games or something." As he spoke, Armin's eyes did fall back into the book. Levi knew what this was about though.

Armin could easily disperse his mind within a book, but it wasn't just that. While Armin had some interest in it, it wasn't his goal to read the book. As they spoke of Eren, Levi saw the boy become uncomfortable. Just bringing him up made the blond fidget in his chair. He was trying to read to move away from the topic, but Levi wasn't going to let that happen.

"I've got a question for you." Levi spoke up. It almost looked like Armin was regretful to look, maybe even a little scared. He must have known it was coming.

"Yes...?"

"What do you think about this whole set up we have right now with Eren?" Levi asked, as if he were ripping off a band aid. It just needed to be done.

"... What do you mean?" Armin asked hesitantly.

"I mean with Eren now working with Hanji and I, and then getting to spend time with you guys at home, what do you think?" Levi asked. Armin looked away, his eyes passing over the book this time.

"Uhm... I think it's great. I mean, yeah, of course it is. This is really good for him. Eren finally gets to go out and work, he's making some money, and he's got important people with him. So yeah, I'm really happy about this."

"Are you sure about that?" Levi asked with his cup up to his lips. Armin looked up at him this time, eyes wide and lips parted with a look that resembled anxiety, like he knew he had been caught. That didn't seem to be Armin's plan, however. He wasn't giving up without a fight.

"W-What's that supposed to me-"

"I saw your face at dinner when this whole thing started. I'm not blind and I'm not dumb, so you can drop the good guy act for a minute or two and tell me how you really feel." Levi sat forward in his chair, any traces of "being nice" gone from his expression.

"I'm not-!"

"Armin...!" The two of them visibly jumped when Eren's voice rang through the store. The stiff atmosphere was destroyed, making way for a kinder and friendlier approach so Eren wouldn't catch on to anything.

"Hi, Eren," Armin said and signed, a sigh of relief leaving him with a smile stretching his lips. Levi turned his head and rolled his eyes, figuring as much from the blond.

He had been right. It was all just an act he was putting on. Without Eren around, Armin wasn't the same, happy and carefree teen that he acted to be. Levi almost saw the person who was always concerned, who was always worried for his friend and never wanted to let him leave his sights, but Eren had such a terrible sense of timing.

"Armin...!" Eren yipped with joy, his fingers a blur as he signed to the blond. Once again, Levi was questioning how he could possibly follow Eren or anything he was trying to say when his fingers were so fast.

"Calm down, Eren, it's getting hard to understand what you're saying." Armin told him and laughed. Eren audibly whined before doing as told, his fingers slowing down until even Levi was able to pick up some things.

 _"Today has been- But the snow- To the ground and cars...!"_ It wasn't perfect, but Levi found that he could understand more and more. That was only thanks to Hanji and her updated lessons, which now took up most Levi's free time while Eren was working.

That lasted almost all day.

"That's really great, Eren." Armin said, his smile widening. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Excuse me...?" A voice asked behind them. Levi felt a chill go up his spine, like his body knew something bad was about to happen without it happening. Eren was oblivious to the woman, to the client who had once been sitting, but was now standing beside them to address Levi directly. He kept signing away to Armin like nothing was wrong, but even Armin was aware of her presence and attitude she was letting off.

"Yes...?" Levi asked and looked at her. If her hip cocked to the side and raised eyebrows were anything to go by, then it should have been obvious that she was annoyed. "Do you need help with something?"

"Yes," The woman said, and Levi felt his eyebrow twitch. Armin peeked over Eren's shoulder as he signed, trying to focus on her and Eren at the same time. "I'm over here trying to read, but it's really hard to do that when he can't be quiet." The woman said and gestures towards Eren.

That caught Armin's attention quickly. Levi didn't need to look to hear him stand up from his chair, and he didn't need to look to know that the "nice guy" exterior wasn't operating properly. Levi felt the need to hold an arm out and keep Armin from getting too close, but Eren was doing a good job about that. Without his hearing, he had no idea that any of this was directed towards him, so how could he possibly know that Armin was mad for that reason?

"Armin...?" He asked in a mumble.

"I mean, I've heard you and your other employee tell him multiple times to quiet down, and he still talks like he's the only person in existence." The woman continued.

"You don't know anything!"

Even to Levi, Armin's sudden outburst was surprising. Hearing him bark at someone he didn't know, a stranger, who was minding their business for quite some time up until now, was a shock. In fact, Levi had never seen the blond lose his cool yet. He'd always been the peace keeper, the one to settle disputes, not make them. Having him do it was just unsettling, and he could see it even in Eren's eyes.

It didn't take hearing to read body language, and to see that Armin was mad.

"I  _know_  that I cannot concentrate when he won't quiet down. I mean, what kind of place are you running here? You sell books here, sir; not cheap entertainment."

"That's not how that is! You don't get it at all!" Armin fumed, but Levi stepped in front of him, cutting him off and ultimately blocking his direct eye contact with the absurd woman.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave now." Levi said, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Excuse me...?" The woman gaped, her eyes widening in disbelief. "This one won't be quiet, this one is yelling at your customers, and you're telling me to leave?"

"You're the one accusing someone of being too loud when he can't even hear himself talk." Levi told her.

"And what does that mean?" She asked.

"It means that you're yelling at a person who's deaf." He explained. " _Deaf_ , as in Eren can't even hear this argument let alone himself." He made sure to pronounce each syllable correctly, just to get his point across.

"Does that even matter?" She had the nerve to ask.

"Miss, it's good timing that you have to leave." Levi said and moved to take her coat off of the coat hanger. "The snow is getting bad out there, and we wouldn't want you getting into an accident."

The woman was no less than appalled. She was disgusted, disgruntled, and in disbelief, but who's fault was it? The only one to blame was her.

Without having another word for argument, she snatched her coat from Levi. She looked as if she wanted to ask about her books, but Levi simply stared at her with his usual cold and apathetic expression, which was enough of an answer. Like that, she was gone in a huff of rage and snow storm.

By this point, Hanji had heard the commotion from the office and came out to see what was going on. Levi had settled back to where he once was at his table, hot chocolate back in hand, though he hated it that it had cooled. He'd have to charge that woman for compensation later.

Eren and Armin were standing by, though Eren was simply confused. No one had told him what had just happened, but Levi didn't bother, because he expected Armin to, and because he thought that he couldn't sign it to the teen.

Armin, however, was still fuming with anger. His hands were bawled into painful looking fists by his sides, his nails digging away at his palms. His face was actually red with anger, all of the way from his ears to his neck, and he couldn't seem to control his breathing. He was trying, but he was losing it easily. He couldn't pick up what was falling apart.

"What just happened?" Hanji asked while stepping further into the room.

"The one client we just had was upset with Eren for being too loud. She voiced her thoughts, and I told her that the snow was getting bad and that she needed to leave." Levi said and sipped at his slightly cold drink.

"Oh boy..." Hanji sighed, her shoulders slumping over. She must have known that something like this could happen, but Levi couldn't have fathomed it.

He couldn't imagine that someone would have the galls to complain about someone with a disability. He knew the world was cruel, and he had heard about it plenty of times from other people, but hearing about it and seeing it happen in front of him were two totally different things.

What had Eren ever done to deserve that?

"Armin..." Eren mumbled, trying to pull the blonde's attention to him.  _"What's wrong...?"_

Levi couldn't find it in himself to be happy that he understood that.

"Nothing," Armin huffed and tried stepping away. "I need to go."

 _"Go, but you-"_  Eren moved to grab at Armin's hand, but the blond roughly pulled away, shocking both Eren and the two other adults in the room. Armin looked regretful from it, like he hadn't thought the idea through, and as soon as he acted on it, he felt immense guilt. He truly hadn't meant to spook Eren, but the damage had been done, and he knew it.

"I'm leaving," Armin said, the words directed more towards Levi than Eren, and without hand motions. He didn't doubt that Eren read his lips though.

"Armin, wait," Eren tried, but his friend was already shucking on his coat. He even tried grabbing at him, but Hanji stopped him short, leaving him only to watch as Armin stormed out of the building like there was a fire.

"Should we let him go by himself...?" Levi asked, skeptical about letting the teen walk around by himself when he was in that kind of mental state, or even in this kind of weather.

"He won't go anywhere but home, I'm sure." Hanji assured. "It's too cold out to be anywhere else, and he doesn't want to get stuck anywhere if the snow gets worse."

"Hanji...?" Eren asked, his big, green eyes wide and sad.  _"He's never done that before."_

"He's probably upset. It's best to let him have some time to himself to calm down."

 _"Shouldn't I go after him?"_  Eren asked.  _"If he's mad at me, I want to know why."_

"I don't think it's you, sweetheart. I think he's upset with the customer, and I think he just needs to let off steam."

_"By himself...?"_

"By himself," Hanji told him. Eren only walked over to the window to look outside, to see if Armin was anywhere nearby, but he wasn't. Even his car wasn't parked anywhere, but Eren could see the tracks from where it once was.

Just knowing that he had some part to Armin's pain wasn't helping him any.

_"He's never acted that way before..."_

Once again, Levi forgot to be happy when he realized he understood what Eren signed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I'm missing a mistake somewhere in here, and I can't find it. e-e One free one shot to the person who finds the grammar/spelling error and destroys it (AKA telling me about it so I can get rid of it).
> 
> P.S. While I was at the convention, I met Mathew Mercer, the English voice actor for Levi. As a present for my friend and myself and all Ereri fans, I had him say "I love you, Eren," as Levi.
> 
> The video is on my tumblr. You're welcome. :3


	13. Silence is Golden

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update? What is this sorcery you speak of?! *Shot*
> 
> Anyway, hi guys. ^^ I hope your weekend is going well! If not, does this help at all? :) I want to say really quick that, as a reminder, this is a slow build type of story. It's going to kick up again, no worries. There's just a lot to cover before that happens (You'll see what I mean at the end of this chapter). There's a lot that needs to happen in order for things to build to the drama (and angst *shot again*). With that being said, I want to thank you for being so patient with it so far, and I hope you have some more to handle just a bit longer. ^^ We're almost there! I promise!
> 
> I feel like, as I say this, things will just kick back up again and be thrown into motion. Maybe?
> 
> -Misty  
> P.S. Since I haven't said it in forever and I feel terrible or it, a big thank you to Lady Mari chan for the Betainginginginging!

**The Change You Wish to See**

**He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter thirteen: Silence is Golden** **  
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Later that evening, when Eren was able to get home through the blizzard with Levi and inside his home, his destination was Armin's room. He had been mulling over Armin's sudden explosion earlier that day, and he wasn't going to leave the blond alone until he got some answers.

Well, that was the plan at least.

When he got inside and shrugged off his boots, jacket, and scarf, he immediately made a B-line for Armin's room. The only thing that got in his way was Mikasa, who was home relatively early, unlike the usual.

"Hi Eren," She said softly, her fingers graceful as she signed. The usual, and he was in no mood for it.

" _Mikasa, is Armin in his room?"_ Eren asked, no patience saved for small talk.

"Hi Eren," But Mikasa had a lot of patience, patience she would use to annoy an easily angered Eren Jaeger until she got what she wanted. With it already running thin, Eren had no choice but to give in.

"Hi…" He grumbled in defeat.

"Yes, he is." Mikasa answered immediately, proof that his response was all she wanted. With that, Eren nodded his head, prepared to leave again. "I wouldn't go in there though."

" _Why…?"_  Eren was stopped by her sudden words.

"It's nothing but doom and gloom in there. He's really upset." Mikasa responded while filing away bills she had been holding this whole time.

" _Did he tell you why…?"_

"Yes, and he swore me to secrecy that I wouldn't tell you." Mikasa signed and sighed.

" _Shit, I was too late."_  Unless it was a matter of life and death, if Mikasa was sworn into secrecy, she never told a soul. To this day, Eren never did find out what it was Jean Kirstien, a kid from middle school, had said to her on the jungle gym when they were kids. She was so quiet about it, so she never needed to tell, and it wasn't like she was an overly emotional person, so it never showed.

"Did something happen today?" Mikasa asked, but she knew what happened. She wanted to know what Eren knew, however; to hear  _his_  side of the story.

" _Some lady in the store was talking to Levi and Armin, and Armin started yelling at her for some reason. Levi started talking after he made him stop, but then the lady left really angry."_ Eren's hands were a shaking mess as he signed, trying to put two and two together while trying to talk to her all at once.  _"The lady kept motioning to me, so I think it was something to do with me."_

"Maybe. You'll have to talk to Armin about it."

" _You just said don't go in his room."_  Eren accused.

"I didn't mean right now. I meant later, when he isn't running people over in video games."

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Eren was determined to talk to Armin. So much that he did exactly what he did with Mikasa and stayed up late. Armin would have to eat, would have to drink or go to the bathroom at some point, and when that moment came, Eren would strike.

When that moment came at three in the morning, however, Eren was more than tired.

His head was bobbing up and down, his eyes half lidded, but falling shut with each blink. It was getting harder to stay awake, and even if he stood up to stretch or jump in place, it wasn't helping. That just seemed to make him more tired, and sitting on the couch to rest didn't help.

Could it have been possible that he had just fallen asleep while playing video games? Armin hadn't played video games in years, let alone violent ones. The last time he had though, he barely made it past nine before he was out like a light, hanging upside down from the recliner. However, when things tended to be on his mind, he found it hard to sleep, so Eren could see where he  _wouldn't_  fall asleep. Then again, he could see Armin playing video games as his reason for falling asleep.

Eren sighed. He should have thought this through better.

He stood up and stretched one last time, his back and knees popping in ways that actually felt good. He felt a rush of air pass through his lips at how good it felt before grabbing his cell phone from the coffee table and heading upstairs. Mikasa had warned him not to go to Armin's room, but he just wanted to see if the blond was even awake let alone gracing the world of his happy presence. He had a fleeting thought of knocking, but just before his knuckles hit the wooden door, he reconsidered.

Waking Armin up was about as dangerous as waking Mikasa up. It was like a suicide mission, like something from a video game similar to something Armin would play.

He was quiet. He made sure of it himself. He couldn't judge entirely without his hearing, but he based it off of vibrations, and going off of them told him he was relatively silent. At least this way he could say he tried in case he did wake Armin up, because the boy was not a heavy sleeper.

He poked his head into the room to find it dark, but Armin's tiny television from the eighties was on and glowing brightly in the room. It shone down on Armin, curled up and sleeping in his bean bag chair on the floor, hair furled in all directions and feet dangling off of the edge. His hands were tucked into his lap, the controller to the gaming console tucked under his hand. Like that, the little character on the screen was endlessly spinning around in a circle, all thanks to the press of Armin's thumb into the left analog stick.

Eren smiled at the sweet sight, thinking that it had been years since he had last seen Armin like this. Granted, Armin didn't play video games much, but that wasn't the sight that made him smile. It was the sight of Armin looking eight years old again. It was the sight of him looking like a child who had played until their heart was content, and after spending a full day of hard play, was spent and ready for a good, long nights rest.

It brought back a lot of memories; of course it did. It reminded Eren of all of the countless times the two had together, even long before Eren had lost his hearing, and thinking about it, he could still hear Armin's baby voice in his head. After years, it must have distorted itself some. Eren could imagine it any way he wanted, but the way he had it now seemed to be what he remembered. However, his smile was taken away when a brief thought entered his mind.

' _I'll never get to hear him talk…'_

Had Armin's voice changed? It had to have. It must have been deeper now, more masculine, but if Eren thought about it, he could think that it may have just matured more. He couldn't picture Armin's voice being too deep, especially with his body and figure. He just didn't seem like the type of person to have a deep voice. It would seem too out of character for him. As previously stated, Eren could easily think of Armin's voice and then try to mature it twelve years, but he'd never know.

He'd  _never know._

Eren found himself smiling bitterly. He had to push those thoughts away. He had faired with it for now, and he'd have to keep doing it. If being deaf didn't bother Mikasa and Armin now, that meant that he was putting up a good act. If he was happy, then so were they, and that was all that was important to him.

After thinking about all of these things in only a possible thirty seconds, Eren had forgotten what it was he had come in here for. He would blame it on sleep deprivation and lack of care later, but for now, he needed to get Armin into bed and himself sleeping. He needed to sleep.

So, after quietly moving further into the room and to where Armin was, Eren carefully pulled the controller out from Armin's lap and set it down by the consol. He turned the television off, letting the room plummet into pitch black darkness. Eren's only light source was the light from the hallway, which was okay. With the door cracked open, the light peered down on the bed, and that was enough to show him where he needed to go.

The brunette was careful to push his hands under Armin's body and wrap his arms around him, one under his boney knees and the other against his back. His friend seemed to recognize the motion in his sleep and shifted, moving closer to Eren than away from him. This startled him some, but when he realized that Armin was just trying to get more comfortable, Eren sighed and went about picking him up.

When was the last time he had done  _this?_  He could only wonder. He just remembered that the last time they had done this, Armin weighed a lot less than this. How old were they the last time; fourteen, maybe fifteen years old? The memories were fuzzy.

Eren yanked the blankets back before setting Armin down onto his bed. Like a baby clinging to its mother, it didn't surprise Eren when Armin's hands were tangled into his sweater and wouldn't let go. He tried unraveling his fingers, but they were tangled tight, one hand holding onto his hood and the other a mess of zipper and drawstrings. When had Armin's hands even done this? Eren knew he had no sense of hearing, but was he losing his sense of touch as well.

The brunette grumbled to himself quietly, trying to free himself from Armin's firm grip, but his efforts were in vain. He didn't even think about just sliding out of his sweater and letting Armin sleep on it for the night. He simply pushed the teen over onto the bed to make room for himself. Armin's bed had always had better support, better because of Armin's terrible sleeping habits, so it wasn't like Eren could complain. He was quite content yanking the blankets back over him and Armin, wrapping his arms around his childhood friend, and falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.

* * *

That morning when he woke up, he was alone in Armin's bed. The spot beside him was still warm, but the covers we neatly placed over him, as if Armin had tried to make his bed while Eren slept there. He internally groaned, maybe even did it out loud, before slowly rolling out of bed. His hands made contact with the floor first before the rest of him did, and after some serious self-motivating, he managed to convince himself up on his feet and to the kitchen, where Mikasa was standing and making breakfast.

"Morning…" Eren mumbled just to get her attention. Mikasa turned around and smiled lightly at the sight of Eren's disheveled form and terrible excuse for bed hair.

"Good morning, Eren." This was a simple statement, one Eren could easily read by her lips, so signing wasn't needed.

" _Are you making breakfast?"_ Eren asked and sat down on top of the counter.

"Yes I am, now get off of the counter." Mikasa signed, her eyes only leaving the food on the stove for a moment to look at what he was saying, but then going back.

" _What about class?"_

"Today my classes are later."

" _Is it Wednesday already?"_  Eren asked, and his sister wordlessly nodded her head. Eren nodded his head and looked around, eyes looking for that tuff of blond hair and those blue eyes that should have been in bed with him this morning, but wasn't.  _"Where's Armin…?"_

"He went to class."

" _But even this is early for him."_  Eren signed with a pout.

"He did leave early today…" His sister agreed.

" _Mikasa, please tell me why he's so upset."_  Eren pleaded with her. _"If I did something wrong, I want to fix it."_

"It's not you, Eren. You didn't do anything wrong." Mikasa turned away from the food to give her full attention to Eren, because at times like these, Eren was very stubborn and hard to convince of anything. She needed to make sure his attention was on her just as much as hers was on him, or else he wouldn't focus at all.

" _It has to deal with me though, doesn't it? He keeps avoiding me."_

"Yes, it's about you, but you didn't do anything to upset him. He's upset about other things."

" _So why can't he just tell me? Since when is Armin the type of person to bottle things up like that?"_

Mikasa sighed.

If only Eren knew.

* * *

Eren had no choice but to go to work after he finished his classes. He couldn't not go just because Armin was ignoring him. After all, it was Levi who picked him up, and he didn't feel like getting on anyone else's bad side this week.

Work was slow, slower than the usual slow. It was snowing again today, though it was a lighter fall. However, after the accumulation the day before and through the night, Eren couldn't help but feel envious as school buses went by, indicating that children were being sent home early. Would Armin and Mikasa's classes be canceled early again? Would they be allowed home early?

Eren could imagine a very nice image of them at home, relaxing on the couch, watching TV or talking to each other. That would be, of course, if Armin would talk to him at all.

"Hey, brat," Levi spoke up behind him, followed by a tap against his shoulder, because Levi knew Eren wouldn't hear him. The brunette turned back from the window and smiled at the man, waiting for something more than just a tap against the shoulder to tell him what he needed to say.

"Hm…?" Levi held up a piece of paper with writing on his, his hip cocking to the side and a scoff leaving him. He hated doing this, but he didn't have a choice.

" _Hanji needs help with something on the computer. She says she downloaded some program she can't get rid of, and she thinks it's a virus."_

" _It sounds like one."_  Eren signed without thinking of it. He didn't even seem to notice that he did it, but for Levi, he could only understand  _"sounds like one."_  It wasn't hard to put together what he was possibly saying.

Eren didn't bother to say more though. He left on his own and back to the office where Hanji was, leaving the older man alone. Levi sighed to himself when the room fell quiet, though it had already been quiet before. This time around though, Eren wasn't there to breathe through his mouth while he swept and make sound. He wasn't there as a dilatory distraction, which didn't help Levi and his thought process at all.

He simply sighed again as he walked over to the door and opened it, letting in a gush of cold air and flurries of snow that scattered across the carpet.

"Hey, are you going to stand out there forever, or are you going to come in?" Levi asked while squinting to keep snow from flying into his eyes.

Standing against the side of the building stood Armin, dressed in his heavy winter gear and barely recognizable with his hat and scarf bundled up so tight. The only reason Levi had known that was him was because Armin had called the store, asking for Levi to meet with him,  _without_  Eren. He said he wanted to talk to Levi, but he didn't want Eren knowing about it, for whatever reasons. Hanji firmly agreed to distract Eren by saying there was something wrong with the computer, though Levi didn't doubt that she intentionally installed something with a virus to buy them time, because she was just that type of person to do that.

And now here they were.

"Thank you," Armin mumbled into his scarf as he walked inside, but only enough for the door to shut behind him. The older man got the feeling that Armin was making sure he wouldn't stay long.

"What is this about, Arlert?" Levi wouldn't lie and say he wasn't trying to sound annoyed, because he was. He was very annoyed. Pissed off really, and he was going to show it. Eren had been upset by this whole ordeal, and when the brat was upset, then he was  _unfortunately_  upset as well.

"I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have lashed out like that at one of your customers, and it was completely wrong of me to do." Armin said, though it was still muffled by his scarf that he refused to remove.

"You're right. You really shouldn't have."

"If there's any way I can make this better, I can-"

"Armin, you were standing up for Eren. It takes guts to do that for someone, so you shouldn't be so upset that you taught a bigot a lesson."

"I still shouldn't have yelled the way I did. It wasn't right of me…" Armin shuffled on his feet for a moment, eyes adverted to the floor as his voice trailed away.

"What isn't right of you is ignoring Eren the way you are." Levi daringly corrected him. That got more of a proper response, one he was looking for, which was Armin's guard suddenly dropping, surprise evident. He wasn't expecting that.

"I-I'm not ignoring him…" Armin mumbled with wide eyes.

"Bull shit." Levi quipped. "I'm not standing up for you here, Arlert. I shouldn't have to have Eren leave the room so you can cowardly apologize for the shit that doesn't need an apology for. He trusts you, and all you're doing him is treating him like a child, the same as Mikasa."

"I don't do that!"

"Then what the fuck are we standing here arguing for?" Despite their difference in height, it was Levi who stood taller for the time being. "If you didn't do that, this problem wouldn't even exist, but you do. You may be more lenient towards him, but you're still just as protective of him. One thing doesn't go right though, and you feel the need to hide from it all."

"That's not true…"

"Why though…? Why can't you just talk to him about it? Why can't you act like an adult with that good guy act and just talk it out with him?"

"I-I want to, but I-"

"Are you jealous?" Levi asked, and all fell silent from Armin after that. His expression was full blown shock, with a mixture of hurt and disbelief, like he hadn't expected Levi to even mention the word. "Is that it? Are you just jealous of Eren and I?"

Armin looked away, his breath picking up faster. His fists clenched by his side, and for a moment, Levi wondered if he should step back. He wasn't sure if Armin was the type of person to hit people when he was seriously angry, but should he take the chance?

No, he wouldn't do that. That would just be backing down, and to what? A small nineteen year old who knew nothing? That wasn't going to happen.

"It would make sense, after all." Levi continued. "You have work and school, and while you're doing both of those, Eren is here with me. He sees me now more than he sees you or Mikasa, and he spends more time with me than he does with you guys-"

"Shut up!" Somehow, Armin's outburst was more frightening than the one from yesterday.

Yesterday he was standing up from someone. Now he had nothing to lose.

"Armin…?" Their conversation was cut short when Eren spoke up from behind them. Even Levi was a little surprised to see the boy, but he saw Hanji standing behind them, looking awfully guilty, and maybe he understood why. After all, the two of them were having a full out battle of yelling out here, and if Hanji had heard them from back there, she had probably gotten worried about them.

"I'm leaving," Armin stated abruptly and turned to leave.

"Wait…!" Eren called out, but he was beaten to it.

Levi kicked out his leg in front of the blond, quickly stopping him from leaving by pressing his foot into the archway of the door. Armin sent him a glare, but the glare was easily challenged and defeated by Levi's own. Armin was fifteen years too early to challenge him.

"I won't let you walk out of here and hurt him again." Levi growled lowly, quiet enough for Hanji not to hear him. "Now fix this before I do," And with that, Levi pushed Armin aside with his leg, knocking him back away from the door.

"Hey!" Eren shouted, old instincts kicking in to protect his friend, even from Levi. He was quick to Armin's side, to hold him up, his arms wrapping around in a protective barrier as he shot a glare at Levi. Levi wasn't interested in him for the moment though, only looking at the blond who had taken to hiding his face in Eren's sweater and clutching at the material until his knuckles turned white. "What are you doing?" Eren asked, pulling the boy closer. Levi scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, his hip cocking to the side again.

What was the teen thinking he was doing? Did he just plan to hide behind Eren until this was over? If he thought that was going to end this, he was wrong. This wasn't going to end any problems anyone had, only prolong them and the inevitable.

Levi thought he was smarter than that too.

"So what…?" Armin hissed into Eren's sweater, inaudible to the brunette, and even so to Hanji, but Levi could hear it from where he stood. His eyebrows raised in mock interest.

Maybe he was right.

"Arm-!" Eren stopped when the teen forcibly shoved at his chest, putting space between the two of them. It wasn't Eren he wanted to confront though; oh no. He wasn't done with Levi yet.

"So what if I'm jealous?" He spun around and asked the man behind them, his eyes brimming with tears just threatening to fall. "I'm human aren't I?" His voice cracked, betraying any façade he may have been holding up, just for the sake of his sanity and for being in front of Eren, but he didn't realize that had long since lost that battle.

Levi was silently thanking their luck that no one else was in the store. An outburst like this would surely upset anyone, not just them. If it wasn't for the snow, Armin could easily have gotten them into trouble.

"Armin-?"

"Eren and Mikasa are all I have left! I've got no one to call a family in this world besides them! They've been with me through everything, and if something ever happened to either of them, what do I do then?" A tear managed to break free from his restraints, and when it did, so did the others. Armin wasn't done fighting back though. All of the pent up anger, frustration, and pain he had been holding in for who knows how long was finally overflowing. Any walls he had put up with restraints were crumbling apart fast, and to see him go from fine to broken so fast was unnerving.

"I can't lose the one thing that has more meaning to me than my own life! I just can't! If it's selfish to be jealous then fine! I don't care anymore!"

"Armin!" Eren yelled over him. Eren seemed to be the only thing that could calm the blond down at this point, and when Eren yelled at him, Armin's anger seemed to fade away. Though he was still tense, everything that had been anger dissipated into this air. His face contorted into an expression of regret, his shoulders relaxed, and his fists unclenched, showing off the red indentations in his palms made by his nails.

It had become painfully obvious to him now that, even though Eren couldn't hear him, he had  _seen_  everything. He had seen him break and be defeated, but for what? All Armin had done was expose a side to him he'd promised he'd never let Eren see. That weak, defenseless side to him that could do nothing but cry and get beaten down by someone bigger than him was still there, and it showed.

What was he doing? Armin thought that he had buried these emotions away long ago to avoid upsetting Eren, but that was all he was doing. He was only upsetting him further by lashing out the way he was. Levi was right. The only thing he was doing was upsetting Eren, which wasn't what he was supposed to do. He was the one that was supposed to carry him when he was down. He was the one that was supposed to lend a hand and carry Eren when he couldn't do it himself, and he wasn't doing that.

And it was like a switch had been flipped inside his head.

Since when was he supposed to carry Eren? Since when was Eren so helpless that he couldn't carry himself?

Eren wasn't a child, but he was still treating him like one, wasn't he?

"… I-I'm sorry…" Armin apologized, lips still parted in surprised. Surprise over himself. Surprise that he could let himself be compromised so easily. He turned back to Eren, trying to find the words to say, to sign, to do anything, but nothing seemed to come out except for tears. "Eren…"

The brunette reached out and pulled Armin close, knowing nothing else to do besides that. He'd never needed to know what to do at a time like this, because a time like this never happened before, and it was never even an idea to be an issue. Eren looked up at Levi with concerned, gold eyes, boring holes into the older man's head for answers, but he knew he wouldn't get any. All he got was a blank stare back and felt Armin shift within his arms. He could feel the tears soaking through his sweater and shirt, Armin's grip on him shaking and flimsy, but also strong at the same time.

He was trying his best to hold on to any sanity he had left, but he was failing miserably at his job, and the chances were high that Eren had never seen him like this.


	14. So Much for over With

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a update to this story! *Crawls under bed to die*
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: So Much for over With** **  
**

* * *

"He won't talk to me..."

Eren's head hung low, pressed into the table for his cheek to be mushed against. Levi looked back at the teen from his sink, eyes narrowing at the sullen brunette as his hands continued drying off a cup. There was no point in responding, because Eren wouldn't hear him, but the words sat on his tongue, waiting to be said.

Golden eyes looked at him in his direction, just to make sure Levi had heard him, before looking away again. He took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh before reaching for his book bag to grab at his notebook. He hadn't expected they'd be here long, so he hadn't bothered pulling it out in the first place, but decided now was as good a time as any to do it. If they were going to stay like Eren wanted, then he'd need it.

The weather was getting bad again. Another foot of snow fell, roads looked terrible, and Levi was adamant about closing early and sending Eren home for the evening. Eren, however, like the little devil that he was, said they should go to Levi's apartment and rest for a while. How the brat convinced Levi of anything other than sending Eren home he didn't know, but he did know that the two of them had been here for an hour, and Mikasa and Armin, whether they were at school or not, hadn't suspected a thing.

"Is that so..." Levi muttered, more for himself then Eren. He went back to his task at finishing his dishes, just to get them out of the way so he didn't cringe.

"Levy...?" Eren called out. Levi looked back once more to see the teen motioning towards him, begging for the man to come his way. Levi clicked his tongue and set his cup down before going over to him. Looks like he wasn't going to get any work done any time soon.

"Yes, brat...?" He asked. Eren had long since learned how to read that by lips.

 _"Do I seem weak to you?"_  Eren asked in his notebook.

"Weak...?" Levi muttered, more to himself than meant for Eren. _"No, you don't. Why would you ask that?"_

_"Sometimes I wonder if it's me. I always wonder if I let off some helpless aura and people feel that I instantly need their help."_

_"No, Eren. People assume the wrong things for the wrong reasons. It's just human nature, and you shouldn't take it to heart."_  Levi leaned back in his chair, noticing the dim look in those golden eyes of Eren's.  _"I know my words don't help, and it's something only you learn on your own, but hearing it is different than thinking you know it."_

" _I know that…"_  Levi could just hear the whining tone in Eren's handwriting.  _"Why do people do that?"_

" _Instinct? Hell if I know. Why do people stick giant loops in their ears to make them bigger?"_

" _That looks stupid though…"_ Eren answered.

" _Well then maybe it's stupidity. Humans by nature are very stupid creatures."_

" _I can't imagine you doing something stupid…"_

" _You obviously don't know me. I did a lot of stupid stuff as a kid, Eren."_ To that, Eren seemed intrigued enough to lean forward in his seat.

" _Like what?"_  He asked.

" _Please tell me you aren't getting off on the idea of my life being crazy."_  The older man pleaded with a frown.

" _Of course not! It's just the idea of someone like you doing something so…"_  Eren's writing trailed off as he tried thinking of proper words to use.

" _Someone like me?"_  Levi asked.

" _You're so calm, quiet, and collected. I can't imagine you with a beer in one hand and a woman around your hips."_

" _That is not the kind of shit I'm talking about, brat. I'm talking about stealing shit, or beating up someone who ever even looked the wrong way at my sister."_ The moment the words were written down on the paper, Levi's hand twisted to throw the eraser down. He wanted to erase them, but Eren was fast when it came to reading, and his fingers were already writing out a response before he could do it.

" _So you were… A rebel of sorts?"_  Levi was glad Eren wasn't going to breach that subject, but Levi had already snapped at him once for doing it.

" _Let's go with that. My point though is that I was pretty messed up. Most people are in ways. It's what makes us stupid."_

" _Do you think I do stupid things?"_  Eren asked, but the question, despite the subject, seemed so out of the blue.

" _That depends on what you and I think is stupid. People think stupid can be a multitude of different things."_  Levi scratched the pencil along the paper for a moment.  _"Let's bring up Arlert for a moment. While you may think what he's doing towards you is confusing, and you don't quite understand it, I think he's just being an idiot."_

"Hey…" The brunette instantly remarked.

" _Well it's true. Obviously this is a situation he doesn't understand, and like most people, instead of facing it head on, he's trying to avoid it. He's smart though, so I know he knows that this won't solve anything. He'll get over it sooner or later."_

Eren huffed with annoyance and leaned down on his hand, but Levi wasn't sure as to what he did it for. Was he annoyed by Levi's remark? Was he annoyed that Levi knew that was true, or did he not believe him?

" _Okay, let me use another example."_  Eren's eyes followed Levi's hand as it wrote down the words in neat writing.  _"Armin is very smart, and obviously he's diverse in using sign language. He uses your notebook though, and I couldn't decide if that was because he felt his skills were inadequate or-"_

Before Levi could finished writing, Eren's head snapped up like something was wrong. Levi stopped to question it, but Eren stole the pencil from his hand and scribbled over his handwriting.

"Hey, brat, what are you doing?" Levi asked, though Eren's eyes were on the paper and not him. There was no way Eren could catch that.

" _I make Armin do that."_  Eren suddenly wrote down beside the scribbles he had created. He didn't offer the pencil back to the older man, however, so all Levi could do was tilt his head and hope for an explanation.  _"Armin's sign language is fine, perfect even. He's never had problems with it. It's me that has problems with it."_

"Why?" Levi asked out loud.

" _Whenever someone signs to me, it's just another reminder that I'm weak, so I have him write in my notebook. Somehow…"_  Eren's handwriting trailed off, and once again Levi forced his hand to move so he could continue.  _"Somehow reading something someone wrote is less painful than reading it from their hands."_

For a moment, Levi's eyes lingered on the writing. Sure, he read the words, but it took a while for their meaning to take full effect within his head. It took a while for him to understand just what Eren was implying, and when he did, somehow, it was both funny and utterly depressing.

How could he have been so blind to it? How could he have been so stupid to see the real reasons that Eren used a notebook? It wasn't for Levi, Armin, or even the world. It was for himself and his own benefits.

Honestly, who was the one with a disability here?

"Levy…?" Eren asked, his brows furrowing in confusion and worry. He held out his pencil, but Levi shook his head and held out his hand. He wasn't going to need it for now. "Levy…?" Eren prompted again.

"I've…" Levi said out loud, but his finger fumbled to create the words he desperately wanted to say. Eren's golden eyes widened. "I've been learning sign language… So I can talk to you…" Levi felt weak, among other things, for the frequent pauses, but he wasn't as adept at it as Hanji was. It wasn't as easy when he was actually trying to hold a conversation.

"I thought… You used that, because of me…" He said and motioned to the notebook under Eren's arm. His eyes followed, but there was a subtle shake in Eren's shoulders that Levi couldn't pin point. "I guess I was wrong…?"

"Very…" Eren mumbled, but a small smile took place on his lips. That smile gave way to a grin, followed by a laugh, and after a moment, Eren was caught between laughing at the situation or crying about it.

This was not the same man he met a few months ago, was it? It most certainly didn't seem like it. He didn't think the man from before was so willing to do such a drastic thing for someone like him.

" _I'm glad you find this funny."_  Levi wrote after quickly stealing his pencil back.

"No, no," Eren uttered and waved his hands. His cheeks hurt from the smile on his lips, but he couldn't help himself. When was the last time someone was willing to go this far for him? Besides Armin and Mikasa, he couldn't really remember.

Some people had tried, but failed to learn his language, and then just gave up all together. It was why he didn't have many friends. The ones that stuck around were the ones who were there from the beginning, Mikasa and Armin included, but in this day and age, it was hard to meet anyone who was willing to do that for him. "Thank you…"

"For what?" Levi asked, his fingers beginning to ache. Despite his practice with Hanji, this was physically more exhausting than what he had predicted.

" _For everything…"_  Eren signed. Levi couldn't help the smile that pulled at the edges of his thin lips, and for a moment, just a moment, he forgot that what they had been talking about was relatively upsetting.

" _Mikasa doesn't do that."_  Levi wrote down and held out the pencil for Eren, but the brunette saved him the trouble by pulling out another one so he wouldn't have to continue sharing it.

" _I've asked her to. I fucking beg her to, but she won't do it. I don't really know why. I tried getting her to tell me, but she won't, so I just gave up after a while. I don't even think Armin knows why she won't write. Maybe it's more comforting for her if she doesn't do it, or maybe more convenient."_

" _And does she deliberately ignore your questions, or does she just give you random answers?"_

" _Both. Trust me, I've tried. She won't ever tell me I don't know why, I know it's always because of me… It's always me."_

Somehow, this was a statement that didn't sit right with Levi.

 _"Why would you ever think that it's you, Eren?"_  Levi asked, positively confused by the boys words.

_"Because life is unfair. I try to be happy for them, I really do, because when I'm happy, then so are they. When they see that I'm not suffering, it makes things easier for them, and all I want is for Armin and Mikasa to be happy... But life is so unfair and I can't seem to do it..."_

_"Eren, you can't blame yourself for this, and you can't be there for them when you can't take care of yourself. You have to worry about your mental state before theirs. Once you're really happy, then they'll be okay too."_

_"It never works. I thought it did at first, but seeing Armin flip out that way... I'm only making things worse."_

"Eren," Levi said and grabbed at the teen's arm.  _"That's not true."_

 _"I know Armin was protecting me too."_  Eren wrote down, eyes downcast on the paper and despondent. Levi's grey eyes seemed mesmerized by the look on the brats face. The way he stared off as if lost in his thoughts, though he was fully aware of the world around him. The cruel and unfair world around him. His eyes were caught in Eren's gaze as Eren continued to write. When Eren finished, his eyes fell to the paper under his hands, observing the neat handwriting on it.

_"I used to protect Armin from bullies, and somewhere along the way, our rolls switched. I know he does it, but I let him. It makes him feel better about himself. Mikasa, on the other hand, does it out of fear of losing me. I know Mikasa is just protective of me, and I love her for that, but I'm nineteen... Why can't people see that I'm no different? Why can't people treat me like a nineteen year old? They treat me like I'm ten just because I can't hear things, and..."_

Levi looked up after he noticed the writing trail off. Eren's hand shook, the pencil wobbly in his hand as he continued to write. This time, Levi didn't bother to wait until Eren was done writing. He watched the words as they were written down.

_"I forced Mikasa into teaching me how to drive, but she doesn't let me do it even though I know how... She won't let me cook things by myself, and I know I'm not the best, but I'm definitely not the worst at it. I'm nineteen and I can't do things like fill a car with gas or swipe a credit card. I don't even know how to fill out a checkbook... I know she's just trying to protect me, but so is the rest of the world, and I just want to be treated like I'm a human, not an object..."_

Eren finally got out what he needed to say, and his eyes were red with tears that were threatening to fall. His pencil was finally set down, and his hands receded to his lap where he waited for Levi's response.

Levi's eyes wandered from the paper to Eren, and then back to the paper. He didn't realize that Eren was so far off from the world, so distant and closed off. Not being able to swipe a card was one thing; hell, even Levi had issues trying to figure out which direction the card went into the slot. Not being able to drive or go places was another.

Eren had no freedom. He was trapped within walls that he wanted to be free of, but they were too tall of obstacles to climb.

He was trapped, and Levi wanted to help free him.

 _"Sorry, that was really awkward, wasn't it?"_  Eren suddenly scribbled over his previous words, his cheeks burning a bright red in embarrassment.  _"Let's talk about something else! So, I know you manage the store, but you don't own it, right? Why is it that I haven't met them yet?"_

Levi scoffed at his words before standing up and stalking away from the kid. He opened up one of the kitchen drawers, searching around for the little black book he kept, but never in the same spot.

"Levy...?" Eren asked. Levi grumbled to himself and slammed the drawer shut, only to open up another one. His little black book was sitting right on top of a stack of bills, which Levi blatantly ignored in lieu of grabbing the book and shutting the drawer.

"Hold on," Levi signed and said, because it would take him a moment to remember how to sign what he needed to say. That was if he knew how to sign what it was he needed to say. Levi moved quickly to take his seat back beside Eren, setting the book down in front of the kid and watching as he got confused.

"What's this...?" Eren asked. Levi knew his sign language wasn't good enough to talk to the kid, not fully anyway. Besides, he was too upset right now to focus on signing anything.

 _"God forbid something were to happen to your sister. Where would you be then? You'd be pretty fucking lost."_  Levi wrote down in the notebook before opening the little, black book. Eren gave him an odd look before looking down into the book. He would definitely say he was more than a little surprised when he saw that the book was a book filled with blank checks.

"Levy..."

 _"You can't depend on your sister forever, so I'm going to teach you the basics of living on your own."_ Levi wrote down in the notebook.

"What...?" Eren asked, his eyes widening.

 _"We'll start with a checkbook first. Learning how to fill one of these out is important, so pay attention."_ Levi instructed and pulled a blank check out. He set it down against the table, ready to write out a fictitious amount before Eren grabbed at his hand and stopped him. Levi was going to question him, but Eren looked so lost and upset that the words were caught in his throat.

 _"What are you doing?"_  He signed.

 _"You can't..."_ Levi began, trying to remember how to sign.  _"Live like this... Eren, you need to know how... To be an adult, and someone needs to teach you. If Mikasa or Armin won't, then I will, because you... Can't live like this anymore."_

Levi felt embarrassed for having to pause so much, felt embarrassed for his terrible excuse for sign language, but he needed to get his point across. Reading it in a book wasn't going to express the emotions he needed to convey, only his eyes, and he needed Eren's attention on him.

And on him it was.

Eren looked more upset than he should have been though. His gold eyes were wide and confused, slightly red with emotions. He looked like he was ready to cry, ready to fall apart on him, but why? Levi was only trying to help him.

Why was Eren so upset?

 _"Pay attention, alright? I may be writing this shit down, but I need you to stay focused on me. This isn't history class anymore. This is important, and you need to learn it."_  Levi wrote in the notebook. Eren's eyes looked over the words, and when he was done reading, Levi went ahead and moved to a new page. He was going to need room to write down the instructions.

So he began writing. Levi kept quiet, eyes on his words and the pencil writing them and nowhere else. Like this, he wasn't sure if Eren was paying attention or not, but that could be fixed. He looked down at his check book, trying to figure out what steps to take next after he was done writing them. He had to figure out how to even write them out so someone like Eren could understand them, because someone at nineteen wouldn't really understand the point of writing out a check. All they knew was that it involved money and that was it.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled.

 _"Brat, pay attention."_  Levi wrote off to the side before going back to his previous words.

"Levy," Eren said again, this time grabbing at Levi's hand and halting his writing. Levi sighed before setting down the pencil to confront Eren, but he was only left speechless when lips were on his own.

Levi's eyes widened, staring at the face attached to his so intimately. Eren's gold eyes were closed, his hand still holding Levi's with a tight grip, and the older man wasn't sure what to do at this point. What would anyone do at this point? Would they kiss back or push him away?

No. Levi realized with some surprise that he didn't want to push Eren away. He wanted the teen to keep kissing him, wanted to keep kissing Eren. The last and only time he got to kiss him was before they broke up, and he realized that he truly missed this. He missed the touch of Eren's lips on his own, missed feeling the touch of Eren's hand against his. He missed this sensation he got in his chest, like his lungs were aching with no reason or explanation for it, and he wasn't sure why. He didn't know what this sensation was or what it meant, but he knew he missed it, and only Eren made him feel this way.

All too soon though, Eren's lips were retreating. Levi had closed his eyes at some point, savoring the touch, but as soon as Eren's lips were gone, his eyes were open to question him. He didn't expect to find the kid wide eyed and crying, tears trailing down his redden cheeks. With breath heavy and strained, Levi opened his mouth to question him, but Eren beat him to it.

"Sorry..." Eren apologized, his head shaking slightly. "S-Sorry, I'm sorry," He apologized profusely before jumping up from his chair and heading for Levi's front door.

"H-Hey, Eren!" Levi called out, but he knew it was no good. The only thing he could do was get up and chase after him, so he did. He was barely able to catch him before Eren was out the door, shoeless and still crying his eyes out. Levi grabbed hold of the door and Eren at the same time, yanking back on Eren's shirt and shutting the door before Eren could worm his way through it.

Eren instantly protested with what could have been defined as a scream. His arms flailed, trying to free himself from Levi's grasp, but for all of his short stature, it was easy to see who had the upper hand, and that was Levi.

"Let me go!" Eren cried out as Levi grabbed at his arms.

"Stop it, Eren!" Levi yelled over him and held his arms against his chest. Eren tried anything and everything in a last ditch attempt to break free, but it didn't work. When he tried dropping to his knees, Levi pushed against him until he was trapped between the wall and the older man's body. When he tried using methods he had learned from self-defense class (all he had been forced to by his sister) Levi knew what he was planning. Even if he got loose, Levi was holding on to him with an even stronger grip than before.

No matter what he did, he couldn't get loose.

"Let me go..." Eren finally relented on his struggling, falling apart in the man's arms to cry against his shoulder.

"Damn it..." Levi cursed before wrapping his arms around the tall brat and holding him close. With Eren's head against his shoulder, with Eren's hands clinging to his chest, Levi couldn't help the sense of calm he felt.

He truly missed this. He missed his touch, his scent, and that stupid grin of his that didn't want to show.

Levi leaned back, pushing Eren off of his shoulder to look at his face. He placed his hands on his cheeks, breaking the path of tears spilling relentlessly from his big eyes. Eren sobbed heavily, his breath ragged and strained. Levi could see Eren trying to keep himself under control, but he just couldn't, not when he was like this. He was too upset to try that now.

"Hey..." Levi said softly. He didn't even know why, knowing Eren wouldn't be able to hear him, but somehow, it was more comforting for him.

Golden eyes, red and swollen from his sudden on slaughter of crying, looked up at him expectantly. For what? Levi wasn't sure himself. There was part of him that knew what though, and he'll call it instinct for now since he didn't know what else to call it.

"L-Levy…" Eren breathed just before the older man captured his lips in a kiss.

This was wrong. This was so wrong. He knew how wrong it was, but it felt good. It felt good to kiss him again, to just stand like this and hold him. It felt good for that familiar sensation of having his lips against Eren's, and oh, the sappy memories it brought back.

This wasn't some romantic comedy. This wasn't some happy ending type of story, so what the hell was going through his mind when his hands traveled down his neck, regardless of the tears along his palms? What was he thinking beyond the simple kiss?

No, it wasn't simple anymore. Not when he turned his head and braced a hand against the wall. Not when Eren's fingers slowly trailed up, further and higher from his waist to his shoulders. Those fingers treaded gingerly, but lightly as they smoothed over the skin of his neck and brushed against his hair, where they then rested. A casual brush of fingertips every now and again, but nothing beyond that as the two separated.

"Levy…" Eren whispered again, his voice shaking. It was only now that Levi noticed how much Eren was shaking, and it wasn't just his voice. His entire body was shaking, but from what, he wasn't sure. He wasn't sure if it was from fear or anxiety, or maybe even both. All he knew was that Eren's shaking was for a reason that probably wasn't the same as to why Levi had a slight shiver going up his spine, or why he had goose bumps rising on his skin.

This was going to be a serious problem.


	15. Painting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh... Filler... Sort of... A filler with plot. What a twist.
> 
> Andthischapterwasfinishedtwoweeksagobutinternetisabitchpleasedon'thateme. *Shot*
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Painting**

* * *

_Sender: Eren (Brat) Jaeger_

_7:52 p.m._

_"So you're saying that you're just going to be alone on Christmas, and your birthday?"_

Levi sighed.

 _"Yes I am, and don't you even think of asking Mikasa and Armin if I can join you. That's just asking for a key to Pandora's Box. Even if you magically convinced them to let me over, I wouldn't accept the invitation. I wouldn't come over, so don't you even try."_ Levi typed out, but before hitting send, he continued. _"Enjoy your time with your family, Eren. I'll see you at work the day after."_

Levi sighed again before pushing his phone back into his pocket. The kid was incorrigible sometimes, and Levi didn't know how he put up with it. If it were anyone else, Levi would have easily just ignored them or punched their face in, but Eren seemed to be special.

Special.

Levi sighed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

Since when had Eren gotten so far under his skin? Since when had he allowed Eren to do all of the things other people couldn't do? Not even Hanji was allowed to do things Eren did, like hug him or even get close to him. She wasn't allowed to poke and prod at sensitive subjects to Levi like Eren did, so why? He truly didn't understand it.

"Fuck it..." Levi said under his breath so the woman with her toddler beside him wouldn't hear it. He began walking away, his eyes scanning the aisle around him for anything he may have needed. It felt like it had been months since he last went grocery shopping, and his pantry was desperately in need of food. They might as well have been groaning, saying they were hungry and needed food.

It was pathetic. It really was. Levi was beginning to wonder why he stayed with his job. Even working twelve hours a day six days a week was not managing his bills anymore, and he was finding it harder to keep up. Of course he didn't mention any of this to Eren, knowing the brat would do something drastic like give up his paycheck for the older man. Levi didn't need that though. He just needed a little extra money.

Thankfully, he managed to get enough for a quick shopping trip. Why it had to be during the Christmas season he didn't know. He felt like anyone, himself included, who went shopping a week before Christmas was an idiot. It was just chaos, and that was just shopping. He couldn't even find a parking spot easily. It was a living hell, dangerous, and just horrifying to say the least.

"Levi...?" The man jumped in place at the sudden voice calling out from behind him. He turned, and once he located the source of the voice, his eyes widened in surprise.

If Levi were to put it bluntly, this was a stranger he hadn't seen in such a long time. He almost did a double take to be sure he was looking at this man right, that he hadn't lost his mind, but he was, and he hadn't. Behind him stood a tall man, far taller than him. Those baby blue eyes and that blond hair combed neatly out of his face was a sight for sore eyes. He was a man within a million people, but he'd be the one Levi could spot from a mile away.

"Erwin...?" He asked after realizing his mouth had been slightly gaped open in surprise. Said man smiled, a small laughed mixed with a happy relief leaving him.

"I knew that was you," He said and walked up to offer a hug. Levi wasn't one for a comfortable form of physical contact, but the man in front of him hadn't been seen or heard from in years. It was okay for just one simple hug, wasn't it?

"What are you doing here?" Levi asked after pulling away. "I thought you were in Europe for work."

"I got transferred back last month." Erwin explained with one of his lady killer smiles. "What are you doing here? Weren't you downtown?"

"Where Hanji goes I tend to follow," Levi answered him with a limp shrug.

"So you're still good friends with Hanji?"

"Until she jabbers my ears off. For now." Levi said. Erwin laughed, a laugh from the belly that was loud and full of life.

"Right. How is she doing?"

"As crazy as ever, I suppose. Not much has changed since you left." Levi told him. "And how are you and your wife?"

"We're great actually." Erwin said and began walking forward, Levi following at his tail. "We just had our second kid."

"Really...? Congratulations, Erwin." Levi said with a pat to the man's arm.

"Thank you."

"So is it a boy?"

"Yep." The blond stated proudly.

"Ah, you finally got that son you always wanted." Levi said with a small smirk. He remembered how Erwin used to talk of kids, if he were to ever have them. He used to say how he only ever wanted one son, a football star to make him proud. Turns out his first child was a little girl who had a thing for dirt and worms, all of which Erwin hated.

She was definitely more like her mother than him.

"Yes. That's it for me though." Erwin told him and laughed.

"No more kids?"

"No more kids, at least for a while. I'm quite content with diaper changes only three times a night instead of six." The man openly joked. "What about you, Levi? How have you been?"

"Just getting along like most in the world I suppose. There's really nothing interesting going on for me." Levi said and shrugged his shoulders.

"Really…? It's been six years since I last saw you though. There has to be something different. I mean, isn't there someone special in your life at least?"

Oh, Levi hoped he wouldn't ask that question.

"... Sort of." Levi responded in a small mumble while turning his head. He had hoped that luck would go his way and Erwin wouldn't hear it, but luck was not on his side today.

"Wait, really...? Someone finally managed to tie you down?" Erwin asked in utter shock.

"He hasn't  _'tied me down,'_  Erwin. We're just... Seeing each other." Even he knew that was a lie.

Since that one shared kiss, things had been different. Little moments when Hanji wasn't around at work and there was no one to see them were devoted to small, secretive kisses. They couldn't go any farther than that, lest they be caught, but moments when it was just themselves in the office, Eren would pull him close, and Levi would easily give in and allow something bordering on "making out" to happen.

Sometimes they'd close the store early due to the heavy fall of snow. It seemed like each week another three feet would fall, only adding to what was there. Days like that were spent hidden away in Levi's apartment until Eren needed to go home, huddled on the couch for warmth and watching whatever could provide subtitles for the brat. Sometimes they'd kiss, sometimes they'd nap, or when they actually bothered to pay attention to the TV, Levi would try his best to translate something they said for practice and Eren would correct him whenever was wrong.

Other times they'd eat, sharing little stories with each other. Eren would ask him questions about things, like the uses of a credit card, loans, and anything else his mind could conjure up that he hadn't learned from his family yet while Levi cooked them something. It was partially why Levi was suddenly depleted on food. He never bothered making any grand and luxurious meals for himself, but when Eren was around, he put some effort into it. Just last week, Levi make them rigatoni that had Eren's mouth drooling. Levi was by no means a cook, and he even burnt some pieces of noodle (How he managed to burn noodle while it was in a pot of water he wasn't sure of), but it was something Eren enjoyed.

While they weren't sure about Armin, both of them knew that Mikasa would kill him if she found out that Levi was doing all of this for him. It was good for him, and Levi knew that, somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew it too. She just couldn't comprehend it for fear of losing him. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the already thin-iced situation they were living with, and that was understandable.

Things were far more advanced than they had been, and far more advanced than what Levi had ever imagined. They weren't uncomfortable by any means, but it was something further than anything Levi (and he was sure Eren was included in this) had ever done. As previously stated, Eren was his first kiss. He never had any interest in anyone else before, at least not anything as serious as Eren was. Were there crushes? Very minor ones.

They were nothing compared to Eren though.

"You don't  _'see people,'_ Levi. I know you, and I know you aren't that type of person. Obviously this guy is special if he was able to get to you."

"Who said it was a guy?" Levi asked while trying to sound offended.

"You just did." Erwin pointed at him and chuckled. Levi wanted to mentally hit himself with an axe for already letting that slip out. "So what's his name?"

"Let's talk about your kids. How's your daughter?" Levi suddenly veered off the path, watching as Erwin rolled his eyes. Levi was never one good for tact though. Erwin knew that.

"Let's talk about his name. What's his name?" Erwin repeated the question. In the end, Levi knew he wouldn't win, and sighed in defeat.

"... His name is Eren." He finally gave in.

"Eren, huh? Sounds cute. What's he like?" Erwin asked as his attention turned towards some in the frozen foods display.

"Well he's... Different than most people," And wasn't that the truth?

"How so? Like, piercings, tattoos, and a chain smoker?" Erwin asked with a slightly puzzled expression. "I wasn't aware you were into that type."

"No, and you know I don't like smokers." Levi said and lightly shoved him. "He's uhm... Hard of hearing." He worded carefully.

"You make it sound like he's deaf, Levi." The man openly joked again while putting something into his basket.

"... He is." Levi told him.

"... Levi, that's not hard of hearing. He  _can't_  hear."

"I know..." The older man mumbled.

"Is it a problem with him not hearing?"

"Not really. Eren gets along really well without it, and he and Hanji have been helping me learn sign language, so it's coming along."

"You make it sound like there's still a problem though." Erwin said.

"It's not a problem that he can't hear me. He's just...  _Younger._ "

"When you say younger, do you mean two to three years younger, or ten years younger?"

"... More like fifteen years younger." Levi weakly admitted and watched as Erwin did the math in his head.

"He's nineteen?" He questioned skeptically, to which Levi simply nodded. "Dear Lord, Levi, leave the child alone."

"Already tried that, and it doesn't seem to be working out like I want it to." Levi rolled his shoulders to fix his jacket to lay better on his shoulders before his eyes started scanning some of the things in Erwin's basket, all of which looked tempting to buy, but we're probably far more expensive than the fifteen things in his cart, and he only had three items in it.

"You say that, but I think you actually don't want to lose him."

"And that's a story for another day. Now seriously here. What's it like adjusting back to our time? Is it hard?" Erwin smiled at Levi, knowing the older man had never been one good at facilitating emotions. He had them, yes, but he had a dry sense of humor and poor communication skills. He wasn't good at this sort of thing, and it showed.

"It was at first. Our poor daughter just isn't getting it that she's supposed to sleep a totally different time now." The blond decided he would just give Levi a little leg way.

"I can imagine. Your son?"

"Surprisingly he slept through the whole flight. The moment we got into our cab though and he became a pooping machine. We got out of the taxi handing the driver a forty dollar tip for detail cleaning." He told the smaller man, and Levi shook his head with a small laugh.

"And you and your wife? You settled okay?"

"Oh yeah. My wife is a little emotional about it all. A lot of it is just hormones from the birth, but her parents are coming to visit, so I hope that helps."

"Or makes it worse."

"Let's pretend that's not an option." Erwin looked back at Levi and said grimly. "Her birthday is coming up too, and I think she's starting to feel old."

"She's twenty nine." Levi stated bluntly, thinking for a moment what the woman was complaining about. He was thirty four after all.

"Soon to be thirty." Erwin pointed out. "I'm trying to think of a gift that will help her out, but everything I think of has some casualty."

"When is her birthday?" Levi asked, anything if it meant keeping the subject off of Eren.

"February. I keep telling her it's so far away, but time is just escaping. I think it was just yesterday when we were in college, wasn't it?"

"You blinked." Levi said and looked back to the items in Erwin's basket.

"That I did. Speaking of which though, how is your art coming along?" Erwin asked as he began walking again. Levi seemed to neglect the path he had previously been on in lieu of following Erwin now. He didn't even need to be in the baby aisle, and yet there he was.

"You know I stopped that years ago."

"Yes well, I was hoping that was just a phase." Erwin shrugged his shoulders. "So you don't paint anymore?"

"Even if I wanted to, paint is expensive and I can't afford it."

"So what are you doing now?"

"I'm working at a book store with Hanji and Eren. If you ever need a book, you could always come to us." Levi offered.

"I might if you have something for children. My daughter is just learning how to read, so she's trying to absorb everything she can with books."

"She's more than welcome to come by and read until her heart is content. I'm sure Hanji would love to see you guys again too."

"I could meet Eren while I'm there." Erwin told him and sent him a knowing gaze with a wink and a wiggling of his thick eyebrows.

"Oh God, just drop it, Erwin." Levi said.

"I'm just saying. I want to meet the child who took your heart."

"Okay, he's not a child, first of all, and second he's far more mature than someone else I know." The older man told him with a pointed glare.

"Hanji...?" Erwin guessed.

"... Okay, two people I know." Levi stated. The blond man let out another boisterous laugh as they continued to walk, drawing a few stares, but Levi didn't care. Screw the people who looked. It was none of their business what Erwin was laughing about.

"So..." Erwin began. Levi looked at him, waiting, but the taller man seemed to be hesitating on something he couldn't read.

"What...?" He asked.

"There's no way I can get you to paint, is there?" Erwin asked gingerly, his hands moving to sit in his pockets.

"I'm sorry, Erwin. It's just not what I do anymore. Why are you so interested in that?"

"Do you remember the painting you made for my wife in college after our daughter was born?" Erwin asked.

"Of course. I remember it made her cry."

"It did, it did. Well she was devastated when we moved to Europe and she couldn't bring it with her, and I thought maybe you'd be willing to make another one for her."

Levi frowned. How was that fair?

"… I don't know, Erwin. I haven't done it in so long, I'm probably shit at it by now. Not to mention that paint, brushes, and canvas iare expensive and something I just can't afford right now."

"I could always buy those things for you." Erwin offered him.

"Hell no. You've got kids to feed." Levi immediately shot down.

"We just got paid for our house in Europe. I've got a couple extra bucks that I can waste." Erwin assured him.

"Erwin-"

"Please, Levi? It would make her feel so much better," Erwin bent down to eye level and gathered his hands together to pout. His bottom lick stuck out like a child begging for candy, his blue eyes widening.

"The fuck is that, Erwin? That's doing the exact opposite of what you want from me." Levi told him.

"At least think about it then. I know you don't do it, but she's been very stressed with moving and our son, getting our daughter into a new school where she knows no one, finding a part time job that will let her work while she's at school-"

"Oh my God, Erwin, stop it." Levi told him.

"Jobs are scarce these days, and she's working so hard on getting her degree in nursing, and you know how hard nursing is. She already tried once and you saw what that did to her."

"Please stop."

"You know our daughter misses you to pieces too. She's always asking when her Uncle Levi is going to visit her and wondering if you're going to ever come back for dinner. My wife has to tell her that you aren't around though, and she has to see that sad face our baby gets when she knows you won't be around."

"Erwin, that isn't fair."

"And then when she's putting her to bed-"

"Okay, stop, seriously." Levi interrupted the man with a hand over his mouth before he could go any farther. He felt the smile form under his hands, cringing at the idea he had lost, but he couldn't resist Erwin's daughter. She was like part of his family, and he loved that little girl more than anything else. "I'll at least think about it."

"Really…?" Erwin asked behind his hand, his voice muffled.

"Yes, but don't use your daughter as an excuse for me. That's not fair."

"She really does miss you though," Erwin said once Levi released his mouth. "If you ever want to come over for dinner, you're more than welcome to."

"Well I should if I ever want to meet that little man of yours." Levi said and rolled his eyes. There was just no winning with this man.

"You free anytime this week?"

"Only after eight or seven on most weekdays, but I have to drop Eren off at home first. I'll let you know when I'm free if the snow doesn't destroy my car."

"Yeah, it's been pretty nasty. Our kids are loving it though."

"Because they don't have work or go to school. Of course they love it." Levi uttered in annoyance before he felt his phone vibrating within his pocket. He reached to grab it, and after flipping it open, he saw a new message from none other than the brat they had been previously talking about.

_Sender: Eren (Brat) Jaeger_

_8:05 p.m._

" _Alright, I guess... I'm still going to send you a message on Christmas though, and I'm still getting you a present!_   _You can't stop me, lalala!"_

"Brat," Levi scoffed and stuffed his phone away. He didn't need a distraction right now.

"Was that your boyfriend?" Erwin asked with a smug grin.

"He isn't my boyfriend, Erwin." Levi grumbled.

"He's a boy, in more meanings then one." Erwin said just before darting out of Levi's grasp.

Levi had never felt such a strong temptation to chase someone through a store before.


	16. Forgiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, time to spill some guts here. Now I'd like to first apologize for the slow updates on this story. It's really not fair to you that I'm not properly working on this one as much as I am my other stories, which is why I'd like to let you in as to why it's happening.
> 
> Lately, though I see all of your reviews and I absolutely adore you guys, I feel like this story is getting harder to write. I myself find it too predictable, too slow (even though I already warned that it'd be a slow build), and just... Too fluffy maybe? Like there will be smut, I can assure you of that. There will also be twists and turns, but I feel like it's become too guessable. You guys know what'll happen besides some unexpected curve balls. The desire to write this story is getting harder to grasp, because I feel like some may not appreciate its entirety. I myself don't even like it at this point. I find myself disliking it, because I can't imagine how some people still follow it, or want to continue following it when they already know how it could end. I keep writing, because I do see your reviews, and they're what keep me going. I don't want to disappoint you guys by any means. Honestly though, if I knew people weren't reading it, I'd stop it. I'm not a person who gives up on a story easily, but I also know when it's become too much of one thing and not another.
> 
> I'll keep working hard on it, though I thought you should know that this is how I'm feeling as of recently towards this story. I don't want to give up, because I'm not that type of person to throw away something I've come so far and worked so hard on already, buuuut I don't want to disappoint others with something too obvious, you know? ^^' The updates may increase, because I had a lot of stuff already written out for future chapters, but that depends. I have a important test next week that I've been studying for like crazy... Okay not that hard. It's just a lot of going over what I already know. Anywhoooos, I just wanted to give an explanation. Excuses aren't good by any means, and this is a terrible excuse, but at least you know why now. ^^' I'm really sorry.
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See**

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: Forgiveness**

* * *

"So she didn't return her book yet?"

"No, she didn't."

"Start charging her with a late fee then. You know the drill."

"She's just a kid though, Levi. Give her a break."

"If it were my choice, I'd say extend it a week. It's not my rules though, Hanji, and you know it."

It was days like this that Eren detested the most.

The snow had finally settled some, letting up on the poor city. People could finally return to work, but kids were off for their Christmas break. Lucky for him, Eren got his break from school too. That didn't stop adults from working though, to his dismay.

He decided that he would continue working to keep himself entertained over the break. He wanted to keep helping out, even when everyone else said not to. Mikasa had picked up extra hours as well. In fact, she gave up her weekend shifts to work twelve hour shifts during the week during break. To Levi, that was bordering torture, especially working at a restaurant. There had to be some law that place was breaking to have a nineteen year old girl working that many hours.

Since Armin couldn't work at the school while everyone was away, he was trying to find a small job over the holidays to keep himself occupied. Between him and Eren, things were still ungodly quiet (And not in the way it usually was). Levi kept reminding him to leave it be; Armin would come talk to him at his own time. Eren wasn't the patient type (That was already an obvious fact), but he was managing.

It showed that he was suffering though. Not having his best friend to talk to him about everything was taking its toll on him. That much was obvious too.

That left everyone free on the weekends. Eren tried spending as much time as he could with his siblings, though Armin was constantly hiding in his room. The twelve hours a day all week Mikasa spent was greatly endured if it meant getting to spend a decent weekend with Eren, and they usually turned out to be. It hadn't come as much of a surprise, nor was it hard to guess that Mikasa liked cooking. She did it all day, and one would think that she'd grow to detest it with the amount of cooking she does every day, but that didn't seem to matter. So long as she could make a good dinner for her family, all that work seemed to be enough for her.

It was the only time Levi had ever seen her express her gratitude towards them too.

They were getting along. Things were slow, like they usually were, but things were coming along.

That was why Eren hated days like this. It was just too slow, and that left his mind to wander about useless things. It was no secret that his mind wandered far off into fantasy land, which often sparked his writing. He'd think up a number of things, whether they were inspired from something he saw or did to something his mind just suddenly came up with. He tried keeping those stories hidden often, but there was a time every now and again Levi would be quietly reading over his shoulder. Eren wouldn't notice it until he felt Levi's breath on the back of his neck, but by that point, he'd read most of what Eren was writing.

Sometimes his mind would wander elsewhere. If it wasn't on his writing, it was only the only other thing it could be on.

Levi.

On the way he signed, and how those nimble fingers, soft, but defiantly strong, were growing accustomed to moving. They moved quicker, with more confidence, but Levi still had to stop every now and again to correct himself or think of what came next. It'd be on the way he still talked while signing, just like Mikasa and Armin did, though he had probably picked it up from them. The way those lips moved as he spoke and the way his dark eyes were always on him when he spoke.

"Hah…" Eren sighed.

 _This_  was also why he hated days like this.

"Oi, brat," Levi called over to him and waved in his direction. Eren looked up from his notebook to the man, having noticed the motion sooner while daydreaming. "What are you complaining about over there?" The older man asked.

" _Nothing…"_

"You're sighing."

" _I'm bored."_

"Isn't that obvious...?" Levi uttered in an annoyed tone, but Eren couldn't have heard it. "Hanji, would you go check to see if the computer out front rebooted properly?"

"And miss all the fun back here?" Hanji mused while tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Now." Levi deadpanned. That was enough to having Hanji groaning as her legs carried her out of the room. Levi could even hear the sounds of her shoes scuffing up the floor as she groaned all the way to the front of the store. If only Eren could hear that. He'd probably get a kick out of it, though Eren may have already felt it. Could he figure out or place what it was he was feeling though?

"Alright..." The older man sighed to himself as he set his arms down on the desk. "Time to get through this shit storm..."

He went about getting through the mess of emails first. They'd only gotten two days off, but he had received over sixty of them within that short time. Granted, most were spam, but there were a few that were important, such as a few things from his boss, an overpayment on something, and all of the other annoying day to day things. There was something in the folder for Hanji, something akin to the lines of a subscription to a magazine. It wasn't anything explicit, unless someone found old dinosaur bones explicit, but the fact the payment was arriving in his email was annoying.

He was going to have to remember to ask her about that one.

"Levy..." Eren called out to him, a quick reminder that he was still sitting on the chair behind him in his cramped office.

"What, Eren...?" Levi asked while carelessly signing it. He didn't even bother looking. There was just no point to it, though he forgot that would mean Eren would need to respond verbally.

"I'm bored..."

"And...?" Levi asked him. There was a pause, a long, held back sigh, and then the sound of a book dropping to the floor. Levi didn't look back to see if something has fallen, knowing Eren was probably the cause of it, but he probably should have. He would have seen the arms reaching out to wrap around his shoulders sooner. He would have seen the mischievous smile on Eren's lips, indicating that his crazy brain had come up with some form of entertainment. He would have known this was coming.

 _"Entertain me,"_  Eren's fingers signed in front of his face, purposely blocking his view from the old computer monitor.

"And how do you expect me to do that?" Levi asked, but his fingers couldn't come up with the proper symbols for it. Despite what he said, what Eren read was more along the lines of,  _"How do I do that?"_  Levi was sure Eren could pick up the rest from his lips though, considering that was all he was staring at. Those golden eyes were on his lips and staring at them like he had just found a treasure worth bragging about.

"You know..." Eren mumbled before moving forward to catch those lips. He didn't want to give him the chance to move away, though where was he supposed to go? The floor? He either stayed in his chair and kissed him or fall to the floor.

Levi didn't have much problems with kissing him though. So long as they didn't get out of hand, then that was fine. He didn't mind a little peck every now and again, so long as Hanji or anyone else didn't see. Sure, they were at work, and there were a bunch of rules that needed to be followed, but no eyes were on them to watch those rules be broken.

Sometimes though, he didn't find it easy to keep it simple. He wouldn't deny a slowly growing heat between them. He thought at first that it was just him, that he hadn't gotten off in a while and it was affecting his mind while kissing Eren. However, he noticed it in the brunette as well.

He noticed it with the way his own kisses seemed a little more urgent than they used to be when they first started "dating." It was just a little after they got back together that it picked up. It was just after that one day in Levi's apartment, after their first kiss in, what? Weeks? Maybe even a month? It was all going by too fast.

It was after that day, after Eren admitted to him that he was scared, after Eren broke down on him, though Levi knew why. He was scared for more reasons than one. At that point, they weren't together, and Eren thought he had destroyed what was left of their friendship as well by that one kiss he gave him. He didn't know if Levi still felt anything for him, but those answers and dilemmas were solved fairly quickly.

Since then, that little spark between them was growing. What it meant, Levi didn't know, but he couldn't ignore it either. He couldn't ignore Eren's hands when they wandered lower than usual. He couldn't ignore it when their mouths slowly opened up more for an intense kiss, though he'd lie ahead of everything else and say he couldn't breathe. He couldn't ignore the tilt of the brat's head, those tiny little sounds, or the way he looked with his eyes closed and within such a close range of him.

He couldn't ignore that something more was coming up. He had an inkling of what it could be, but it wasn't that. It couldn't be that. What this was between them was too innocent, and if Levi was honest, he didn't feel it was permanent between them. He didn't know how long this would go on for, but he couldn't see himself getting married, buying a house, and adopting a few kids with the brat.

Eren didn't see that happening though, did he?

"Oh Levi...!" Came the sudden belch of Hanji, who had no presence of mind to knock. Of course. Levi leaned back the moment he heard her, and Eren followed when he figured that something was wrong. However, when the two of them looked up, they were met with Hanji staring them down, a grip splitting her cheeks from ear to ear.

It was no surprise for her that she walked in on this, though a little discrepancy would have sufficed. She saw this coming one way or another. They spent too much time together, and honestly, she felt the tension between them getting thicker. It was suffocating really.

"My, oh my..." She mused while pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

"You talk and I destroy your subscription to your stupid fucking dinosaur magazine." Levi threatened her, but it was only taken lightly. She knew he would do it; that wasn't a lie, but how could she not enjoy this, or the light dust of pink in his cheeks.

"Not a problem. Cross my heart and hope to die!"

"Hanji..." Eren mumbled to catch her attention.  _"Don't tell Mikasa or Armin about this..."_  He signed, though he wasn't threatening her. He was honestly scared they'd find out. He wasn't ready for them to know yet.

"My lips are sealed," Hanji promise him while making an imaginary zipper to close her mouth with. Levi groaned. If only that actually worked. "Levi, there is someone here to see you." She told the man still sitting in his chair.

Levi rolled his eyes and sighed before standing up. He didn't think it was such a good idea to leave these two alone; Lord only knew what Hanji would do to him, but he had to deal with whoever it was out there.

"Please don't hurt him," Levi pleaded with her as a passing thought before leaving the room.

"I can't make any promises." He swore he heard, but the door to the office shut before he could fully make it out.

Instead of bothering to try figuring out if what he heard was correct or not, Levi simply decided to ignore it. If he heard blood curdling screams later, then he would know whether or not he was correct until then, he made his way out into the main room, the smell of old books more prominent out here than it was in the tiny office. He was expecting to see someone with an overdue book. He was expecting the little girl they had been talking about. He was even expecting the bigot that had been in not too long ago, the one that had caused such problems with Eren and Armin.

He wasn't actually expecting to see Armin though.

"Hey," Levi wasn't going to give him the benefit of the doubt, nor the presence of mind to give him a polite greeting.

The blond startle in place; no doubt he had been ogling some books along the shelves. The moment he looked at the older man, however, he looked ready to piss himself. Levi was more or less proud of himself for revoking such a reaction from him.

"H-Hi," The blond stuttered.

"You looking for something?" Levi asked him, hoping that the answer would be Eren.

"Oh! Uhm, Eren left his phone at home..." Armin told the man, and then reached into his coat pocket to produce said talked about phone.

"Good to know. He's been searching for this thing all morning." Levi said and took the small device from him.

"Y-Yeah, it was still on his charger when I went to get his laundry." Armin's voice fell quiet as he spoke. "I thought I'd just bring it over."

"Thanks. I'm sure he'll be happy to know where it is now." Levi said to him. Armin nodded his head and looked at the floor, probably too embarrassed or shy to speak of anything else. If his red cheeks were anything to go by, than that was probably the biggest case. "How's job searching going?" Levi figured it'd be best to not make him faint from the extreme amount of blood rushing to his head.

"Uhm... Okay? I'm not too sure... I haven't heard back from anyone yet, and most places already have college kids working for them over the break..."

"So not well?"

"Yeah..." Armin uttered, looking much like that of a kicked puppy, though Levi wouldn't know what one looked like. He looked so down, so defeated, though he probably knew why. Armin was probably so used to working by now that sitting at home having nothing to do and not making money was driving him insane.

Levi knew that feeling.

"... You know," Levi began. "I've got a friend who just moved back into town. Works for a pretty big company too. Have you ever heard of Recon?"

"That place that handles a lot of continental affairs in trading. It's that really tall building beside the shopping district, isn't it?"

"Yep, that's right. Well, he just moved back, and I'm sure he's looking for a new secretary. If you're interested, I can put in a good word for you." Levi told him, but it only took a second for the words to sink into his head. It took just one more second for the expression on his face to go from embarrassed to utterly shocked.

"W-Wait, wait. Seriously?" He asked, absolutely stunned.

"Yeah," Levi mused. "If it helps you out any. I'm sure he'll love you too. You're perfect material for a job like that." Levi spared a glance over to Armin again, finding his expression still very much laughable. Armin looked almost offended even. He was lost between being grateful and trying to figure out if Levi was just yanking his chain or not.

Why would Levi lie about something like that though? He wasn't that type of guy, and Armin was smart enough to realize that.

"If you don't want me to, then I won't do it. I just thought I would offer since he's looking."

"N-No, no! I would really appreciate it!" Armin suddenly blurted out. "Please, if you could, it would mean so much to me!"

"You don't have to be so hasty." Levi told him. "I'll give Erwin your number and have him call you." Armin's mouth was lost in a form of a smile while still hanging open.

"T-Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Not a problem." Levi waved him off like the offer was nothing, though it probably meant more than what Levi could imagine. "A tip for the interview though. Try to get him talking about his kids. You do that and he'll hire you in an instant."

"Thank you! This means so much, I-!"

"It's isn't a problem. I know how hard it is to find a job this day and age, whether you've got an education or not." Levi once again waved it off, deciding it was best to let Armin live up the moment. "I'll give Eren his phone back and tell him you dropped it off."

"Ah, uhm…" Armin trailed off, eyes adverting down to think of what he wanted to say, which didn't seem to want to come off of his tongue the way it should have.

"What is it?" Levi asked gruffly, not content with playing games today, especially not with Armin. "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

Armin frowned as his eyes looked up at the older man. He barely met a steely gaze before looking back down, his cheeks tinting pink again. His hands came up to his lap so that his fingers could twiddle together, some form of a distraction. It wasn't a good one, but it was all his mind could think up with at this point.

Whatever it was he had to say apparently wasn't easy.

"Kid, I'm not playing games here. Either say it or lea-"

"C-Could I…" Armin interrupted him, but that was instantly reprimanded on his own part by looking down to the point his head tilted with it. "Could I talk to Eren…?" He asked, and Levi could see those blue eyes peaking up from behind his bangs. Was he trying to determine Levi's reaction from him? Was he trying to find an answer without getting a verbal response? Levi couldn't tell.

Armin's bangs had gotten longer since he had last seen him, which was easily a good month ago. In fact, the last time he had seen him was when Armin told him off.

He was still thoroughly impressed with that.

"Oh, so that's why you brought this over." Levi told him while motioning to the phone in his back pocket.

"N-No, it wasn't! I mean, not at first, b-but-"

"Stop stuttering. It'll end up permanent." Levi told him before turning away. "I'll go get him for you." Levi said and left the room.

He wasn't entirely sure if this was a good thing, because this could either end one of two ways: With them kissing and making up, or just arguing some more. He didn't want to see that piss poor puppy dog look on Eren's face again, but he wasn't the type of man to interfere with other people's relationships, though he'll openly admit that he was the reason Erwin was married to the woman he was with now.

He wasn't the type of person to sabotage a relationship though, whether he was jealous or not. He'd seen how upset Eren had been for the whole time Armin hadn't talked to him, and it was about time that ended. He was going to have to suck it up and let them figure this out on their own.

If worse came to worse and they didn't make up by the end of this though, Levi was going to tie them to a chair until they could play nice.

"Eren," Levi called out to the brat still in the office. Hanji was signing away to him, something Levi couldn't understand. It wasn't even the fact that some of it didn't make any sense to him. No, that wasn't it. It was that Hanji's fingers were moving too fast for him to keep up, and judging by the thoroughly tired look on Eren's face, he couldn't either. "Oi, Hanji, shut up."

"What…? I was just telling him about last month's subscription to Din-"

"Armin's here. He wants to talk to you." Levi quickly signed for Eren, keeping Hanji from speaking any longer. Once you got her talking, it was incredibly difficult to get her to shut up. Levi found that the most effective way to stop her though was to blatantly speak over her and ignore the rest of what she was saying. It didn't always work, but maybe mentioning Armin got her to be quiet.

Eren looked surprised. He looked stupefied even. For a moment he even tilted his head, silently questioning if the man had simply signed wrong to him, but his lips said Armin's name. He said the boy's name, said he was here. Even if Eren didn't understand what he signed, he understood what he said by his lips.

This wasn't a joke, was it? No, Levi wasn't the type of person to make jokes. If and when he did, they were potty mouth jokes that made no sense to him, and Hanji often had to translate them for him to figure them out. It wasn't the barrier in language that was the problem; Levi just told really shitty jokes.

No pun intended.

"Okay…" Eren mumbled to himself before leaving the room. Hanji gave Levi a very similar look, but he ignored it to go back to the main room. He wandered off to one of the aisles not far off, a book in his hand like he was going to put it back. He was, but in the aisle beside this one stood Armin and Eren. Apparently they needed a smaller and more secluded place to talk. Levi could see the two through the cracks in between the books though, and with one knocked over onto its side while the other was tilted onto another book's spine, it was easy to see the two of them.

Neither of them looked happy.

Armin looked guilty and upset while Eren looked frustrated and angry. He had every right to be too, because Armin had taken out his frustrations on the wrong person. Even Eren could see it, and now he was finally letting the blond have a piece of his mind. His hands were a blur though, just like Hanji's had been. Had it not been for Armin's usually cool demeanor and his own idea to speak as he signed, Levi would have been at a loss for words.

" _What was your problem anyway?"_  Eren asked him, a small grunt leaving his grinding teeth. " _You just – me for – too."_

Levi cursed under his breath.

"I know, Eren, I know. It was wrong of me, and I'm sorry. I just… Got really upset, and really frustrated. I didn't want to take that out on you…"

" _But you did! You've been – me for the past -!"_

"And I was wrong, Eren! I can't apologize enough!" Armin still had the presence of mind to keep his voice down, even when no one was in the store. He probably didn't know that though. "I don't know if there's anything I can say or do to make it up to you, but I want to. If there is, you have to tell me, because I want to make this right..."

" _So then why didn't you a month ago?"_  Finally, Eren's fingers had settled some. It was easier to see what it was he was trying to say, though some words still escaped him.  _"Why didn't you just talk to me? Since when is our - like that?"_

"It's not…"

" _It feels like it is. I've always trusted you, Armin. I knew that if there was ever someone I needed to talk to, someone who wouldn't judge me, it'd be you. You know things even Mikasa doesn't know about, the same that Mikasa doesn't know a few things about you. Since when did we go from telling each - everything to hiding things from one another?"_

"I'm sorry, Eren…" Armin dropped his head, his throat bobbing as he swallowed what must have been the oncoming of tears. Obviously this wasn't an easy thing for him. "I-I don't know. I just… Got a little jealous, I guess."

"Jealous…?" Eren abruptly questioned out loud.  _"What are you jealous about? It's not about Levi, right?"_

"Yeah, it's about him."

"Whoa, whoa…" Eren said and hit the blonde's arm gently.  _"Why are you jealous of Levi?"_

"I-I don't know, really. Eren, I'm so happy that you're working. You're making money, you've got new friends, and you're even happier doing all of this lately. You have new stories to tell, and you're starting to write again. Honestly, I couldn't be happier for you, and I'm really glad that Levi's helped you get these things, but…"

"But…?" Eren prodded at him for more answers.

"But you spend so much time with him now…" Armin shrugged his shoulder as he signed to him. "And it's so unbelievably selfish that I think like this, because I know Mikasa does this to you, and I know you hate it so much, but I guess… The amount of time we do spend together just isn't good enough for some part of me…"

He admitted it like he was guilty, and he partially was. He was admitting it though like he had committed the biggest sin within the bible, whatever that may be. Levi wasn't an advocate for the bible. He looked ready to break down. He even looked ready to fall to his knees, bow, and beg the brunette for forgiveness, but Eren seemed to have other plans.

If that smirk growing on his lips was anything to go by.

"You love me," He mused in a sing song tone.

"Stop it," Armin warned when Eren advanced, but that didn't stop the teen from wrapping his arms around his waist.

"You love me," Eren continued, though it sounded more like, _'you lob me,'_  than what he was intending. Armin rolled his eyes and tilted his head back, trying to avoid glaring at the smirk on Eren's lips, but that wasn't easy when it was only inches from his face. "You love me. You know you do."

"Yeah, yeah…" Armin scoffed and pushed at his head. Eren laughed it off though, his smirk giving way to a playful smile when he forcefully grabbed at the blonde's sides and squeezed. It was enough of a squeeze to elicit a very girlish squeak from the teen, and it was enough to have Eren break out into a fit of laughter. "That wasn't funny!" Armin signed, agitated.

" _Yes it was,"_ Eren openly disagreed with him and stuck his tongue out when his laughter had died down enough to allow it. Armin groaned, followed by a childish attempt to break free from Eren's grasp by simply going limp in his arms. That still didn't work though, because he seemed to forget the fact that Eren was impressively strong.

Eren kept him up and grounded, pulling him into a hug that Armin was forced to participate in, though it wasn't like he could or even  _would_  complain. He looked quite content wrapping his arms around broad shoulders and hiding his face away in Eren's turtle neck.

No, Levi was not jealous. He was  _not_  jealous. He refused to let this get to him.

"Armin," Eren said and pulled back. Armin looked up at him expectantly, a stray tear at the bottom of his cheek. He didn't even seem to be aware of it though.  _"No more hiding, okay? No more secrets."_

"Sounds like a good idea." Armin agreed with a relieved smile. Levi sighed; he was glad that was all over.

" _We'll talk to each - about everything, okay? I won't hide anything from you either."_

"Then you should start with this…" Armin said softly and left Eren's slowly increasing grip. "How long have you and Levi been dating again?"

Levi's eyes instantly darted to the blond, wide and confused.

How in the hell did he know about that?

"W-What…?" Eren gaped in surprise.  _"How did you find out about that? Who told you that?"_  Eren asked frantically.

"You just did," Armin answered, followed by a wink of the eye while his tongue stuck out at the brunette. Eren had that stupefied look on his face again, but the moment Armin darted away to avoid any confrontation, Eren was instantly after him.

"Armin! Get back here!" He yelled out, but even after losing sight of the two, he could hear Armin's laughter around the store.

"Shit," Levi cursed under his breath. He really had no idea who he was dealing with.

Armin was  _smart_. He was going to have to watch out for him from now on. This only meant one other thing though.

Erwin was going to fucking love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On another, less depressing note-ghiaghir;ognv Cute fucking adorable Armin and his mind games. How could you not love him? He's an adorable little shit...


	17. Bankrupt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update? Two updates in two weeks? Consistent updates? What be this sorcery?! Thy witchcraft! *Shot*
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See**

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death**

**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: Bankrupt**

* * *

" _Dear Levi;_

_It is with great sadness and a heavy burden to inform you that, effective January 25_ _th_ _, the store will be closing. I've tried everything I can do, but this is the third attempt to save the place from going under, and unfortunately, I can no longer bargain with the banks. In their own words, they said it was a gift that the place will be open for, as it stands now, twenty-one more days. They must figure that the short notice, provided our situation, will bring in some form of income._

_Though I am afraid that this means that you, Miss Zoe, and Eren Jaeger will no longer be employed by me. After all you've done, I promise to write up proper reference letters. I will make sure you get into a nice work environment. After all, you've been with me for years. It's the least I can do._

_I will help you as much as I possibly can, though Eren's case may be a little more difficult to provide for. I'll look into specific jobs that need his presence, but I can't make any promises._

_I'll look for Hanji as well. I can't personally get any of you jobs, but I can recommend them and we can hope for the best._

_After all of this, I hate to ask for more from you. However, the bank is allowing us this slot of time to try and pay off some debt, and that is what I hope to accomplish. I would appreciate it if you could try bringing in some form of business. If you have to create signs to put on the windows, that's fine. I'll even allow you to pick personal discounts for anyone coming in. All I ask is that nothing is ninety percent off or free. I think fifty percent off works just fine._

_I also ask that you please bring in anything overdue. Please collect the pay and make sure the books are put up for sale. I saw the recent report where two books have been taken out longer than their due dates, so I'd like that taken care of. I guess anything left over by the time we close can be put away into storage until I can figure out what else to do with them._

_I hate that I have to give you this news, Levi. I really, really do, but I can't put it off any longer. I know we've had scares in the past, but this is the real one. I tried everything I could, even tried pushing the date we close back, but they aren't letting me off of the hook for this one._

_Once again, I'm truly sorry."_

The silence in the room was tense, morose even. It weighed on their shoulders like fifty pounds of lead, and none of them at that point were even keen on the idea of breathing. The idea of making a sound was like trying to walk on thin ice; if you did it wrong, it'd break right out from under your feet. That was how they felt right about now.

Levi set the paper down in his lap, eyes once again drifting over the words to make sure he hadn't read them wrong. Of course he didn't. He wished with all of his might that he did, or even that this was some sort of cruel joke, but it wasn't. There was no way he could have read the letter wrong; he'd only read it six times over. The first four times were to himself, once to Hanji, and then once more to Eren. Hanji had used her proper knowledge in sign language so he could understand what was being read out loud.

It had all been announced within the same day to each of them, but it still didn't settle right.

"So… What do we do now?" Hanji asked, her fingers moving softly for Eren so he could keep in the loop with their conversation.

"We beef up our resumes and start looking for new jobs." Levi told her and crumbled up the letter. He tossed it into the trash can beside Eren, who looked positively lost and destroyed. It was even worse when he read Hanji's fingers, and Levi knew why.

Who was going to hire Eren? He'd been hired by Levi, but that was because he knew him and his situation. There weren't many jobs that he knew of that could allow the work of someone deaf, and the ones that were around probably weren't nearby, or by any means available. Eren didn't know of any, Levi sure as hell didn't know of any, and if Hanji did, she wasn't piping up about it.

Hanji and Levi had chances of getting jobs. It was easier for them, but Eren couldn't hear. There weren't many jobs that had qualifications for the hearing impaired.

" _There's nothing we can do?"_ Eren asked somberly, hoping for some positive answer. He knew the answer already, but he was still clinging to hope.

"No, I'm sorry…" Levi told him, knowing Hanji would sign for him. "It's been too dead in here, and I know you've seen it."

" _Yeah, but…"_  Eren couldn't think up of anything else to say. He didn't know what to do in this position.

"Eren, don't worry. We're going to help you find something." Hanji assured him with a weak smile. "It may not be with us, but it'll be something."

" _But not this…"_ Eren signed. Levi felt his heart jump into his throat before dropping down into his stomach.

This wasn't fair. This just wasn't fair. He really wasn't concerned for his own situation, though he should have been. He had overdue bills to pay and a landlord breathing down his neck, but what about Eren?

Eren finally felt like he was helping his family. He finally felt like he was doing something worth the effort. He was going to lose his first job though, and it wasn't even on his part.

How was any of this fair?

" _I know working isn't usually like this. There's a lot more to it, but… This was just comfortable. It was easy, it worked out for Mikasa, Armin and I… Even if I could find a job, who knows if it would be the same…"_

"That's something you can't worry about now though, Eren…" Hanji told him and patted his knee. "Let's focus on finding some options first."

"Let's focus on being a little less depressed here." Levi spoke up quickly, his hands following shortly after so Eren could understand. "Like he said, that's twenty-one days away. We're still here, still working, and worrying about something that hasn't happened yet. Yeah, it's going to happen, but there's nothing we can do about it, and sitting here whining our asses off isn't going to make anything better." Had Hanji not been signing for Eren, he would have missed all of that.

"So what do you suggest we do?" Hanji ask.

"I say we fucking close for the day and kick back. No one needs to know anything different."

" _Can we do that?"_  Eren asked.

"Fuck yes we can. Look at it outside right now." Levi said and motioned to the windows. "That snow is coming down hard. We close down when it gets serious like this, so that's the excuse we can use. No one is going to come in with this weather anyway, so there's no point."

Eren and Hanji looked outside, watching the snow fall along the streets. True to his word, it was falling fast. It had only started snowing about an hour ago when Levi first received the email (some sort of grim reminder?), but it was already a foot deep. The weather channels had been talking about a seriously nasty snow storm coming their way, and it looks like it had come early. If this kept up, they were definitely going home early.

Eren didn't doubt that Mikasa and Armin were probably setting things up in the living room at home to stay warm. Their heating had been very fussy with the nasty winter, and each of them had to get separate heating units for their rooms. They'd all probably end up camping out in front of the TV with each heater on either side of them for tonight if the heating decided to go out again.

When the two of them looked back from the window, Levi wasn't in the room with them. He wasn't gone long though, and when he returned, he came back with an open, half empty bag of chips, and a full container of soda.

"Levi! What are you doing with my snacks?" Hanji whined as she questioned him.

"We're about to eat them and talk shit while we do so."

"With  _my_  snacks?"

"Find a better hiding spot than the filing cabinet next time." Levi told her while handing Eren the bag of chips. "We'll just kick back, relax for an hour, and then head home." He said while kicking back on the couch beside the brunette.

" _We won't get in trouble?"_  Eren asked.

"How could we? It's not like he can fire us now." Levi retorted and reached for the chips. Eren openly allowed him to have some as he sighed, seemingly confused by the idea of talking bad about something he liked. Sure, they were about to lose their jobs, but that didn't mean he didn't like it.

"Where do we start?" Hanji asked, her hands reaching for her soda.

"Let's start with our endearing neighbors and their big ass tree that they can't clean the leaves up from and I'm stuck doing their job."

"I saw that earlier in the year. You'd think they'll just cut the branches down some? I mean, they're getting pretty far out there."

"Who the hell knows? All I know is that I won't be working here soon, and they're going to have to clean up their own damn messes."

"They're probably going to miss you for that."

"I hate that giant ass tree."

Eren's eyes followed their conversation, eyes drifting from one set of hands and lips to the other. He found their bridge of topics to be quiet interesting, because they hadn't been what he was expecting at all. Sure, they were talking shit, just like Levi said they would do, but when he imagined that, he imagined how some of his friends outside his little house talked.

When it was him with a bunch of guys, it was constant perverted jokes and sexism of the highest degree. Thank God Armin was usually there, or else he wouldn't know what to do when they started bragging about their experiences with girls, because he had none, and was easily classified by Jean as a "hopeless loser."

When he was stuck with Mikasa and her friends, he found their conversations grouped toward bad mouthing someone who had made their day harder. It was also always constant stress of men and the pressure of having to be a "woman" around them. Mikasa did that a lot, but she was a cook. She had to deal with the critiques of people every day, so he could see where that came from. However, she never complained once of having stress from anyone other than Eren and Armin. She didn't "try" around any guy unless it was them.

Eren wasn't entirely sure if he appreciated that or not though.

Armin just didn't talk bad about people. He was one of the few, rare people who grew up believing the saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Eren didn't understand how Armin did it though. He kept everything bottled away for so long, and it wasn't healthy to do that. He took great joy in reading though, so there must have been some sort of positive to come from that. It must have been some form of a coping mechanism, though the brunette wasn't much of a reader, so he couldn't see how.

Honestly, he only ever came to the bookstore for freedom. That, and because it was always quiet. He didn't need to worry about hearing anything when there.

Eren on the other hand? He didn't do it. It wasn't that he didn't want to do it, because he did every now and again (the world was especially cruel to him), but he just didn't have anything in terms of material to do it with. Before meeting Levi, he ever so rarely left the house, so he didn't run into people who could treat him so poorly just because he couldn't hear them. Now that he got out of the house, he saw it more frequently. Levi was always there to stand up for him though.

He took everything else out by talking to Mikasa and Armin, so by the time those talks were over, there was nothing left to discuss. He didn't have much to complain about when he thought of it. Times were tough for more people than just him, and he was rather lucky. They had a house, a roof over their head, food on the table (Mikasa would always make sure that was the case), and an education. That was more than what most had.

He was doing fine in school, he liked the job he was about to lose, so what could he possibly badmouth?

"Oi, Eren," Levi slapped at the side of his arm, grabbing the teen's attention for a quick moment. Eren looked over to the two adults, finding their eyes on him expectantly. They were waiting for him, weren't they?

" _I don't have much to complain about besides losing my job…"_

"Times are tough and the government sucks. We're all there, Eren." Levi told him, Hanji doing him the favor of signing for him.

"Don't be hard on yourself, Eren. You aren't the only person being let out in the world."

"Not the only one to feel this way either."

" _What way?"_

"Like you're being cheated on, lied to; like everything around you is throwing the odds against you and putting the weight of the world on your shoulders." Levi spoke with authority. "The world is cruel and unfair, much as life is."

"So harsh, Levi…" Hanji sighed.

" _That sounds like something my sister once said to me."_

"Oh really?"

" _Yeah. I think it was after she had lost a job, but… Just before she got the job at the restaurant."_

"Does she like to rant then?" Levi questioned.

" _Not really. That was just a particularly shitty day."_

"How so?"

" _Besides getting laid off, I had Jean breathing down my neck and pissing me off that day. Mikasa doesn't like it when he does that, or, well, when anyone does that to me."_

"Who is this Jean guy? I think I've heard you mention him once before." Hanji mentioned, trying to reach her hands over to her bag of chips that had been seemingly forgotten for the time being. The moment she got close, however, Levi pulled the bag up to his chest and kept it there.

" _He's just a horse looking mother fucker. He's not very special. I can't imagine what his boyfriend sees in him."_

Thinking back to it now, Levi did remember Eren talking about Jean. It wasn't a personal conversation they had though; it was something he read in his notebook. It was months ago, and if his memory served him well, it was on their first date. He couldn't remember what was written down in the notebook, he just remembered reading the name Jean. It must not have been too important though if Eren felt this way about the guy.

"Besides the fact that he's gay…" Levi quietly uttered, earning a disparaging look from Hanji.

"How'd you meet Jean then if you hate him so much?"

"I met him in kindergarten. He's been in every school I've been to up until I went into online schooling, but his boyfriend, Marco, is cool, and we like to hang out with him when we can. Unfortunately, where Marco goes, Jean follows, so I still see him from time to time."

"Say, Eren, what got you into online schooling?" Hanji questioned. Eren shifted uncomfortably then, his eyes shifting to the floor while his hands fumbled together in his lap.

"…  _It was… Just after my accident. I couldn't really continue in a public school anymore, so I didn't have much of a choice."_

"And there aren't any schools nearby for people who suffer from hearing loss?" To that, Eren shook his head.

"Nope," He uttered.

"I bet you could be a person to change that." Levi spoke up, eyes on the soda he'd been neglecting. Eren tilted his head to him, eyes staring openly at him like he had lost his mind. The sentence just didn't make sense to him no matter how much he thought of it. It couldn't process through his mind correctly.

" _How could someone like me do that?"_

"You're the type of person people would be afraid of, because you're the type of person who can change things around for the better." Levi continued and took a sip of his drink. "Be the change you wish to see in the world as they say."

Once again, the words just didn't make sense to him.

* * *

"See you boys later!" Hanji exclaimed as she trudged her way through the knee high snow, looking for her car buried away somewhere in the street.

"Text me so I know that you're home safe!" Levi called after her. The least he needed was to worry about the woman and when she would get home safely.

"Love you too!" Or maybe he could handle it.

"Levy," Eren said behind him, hands bundled up beside his mouth to breathe against for warmth.

"Let me just lock the door. Want to start the car for me?" Levi asked him and held up his car keys. Eren nodded his head before taking the keys and wandering off to where Levi's car was parked. It wasn't far at all, but it would take a while to defrost and get the snow off of his windshield. Levi turned his attention back to the door, eyes glaring at the snow that had been tracked inside when they walked out.

The snow was easily to his knees, but he'd blame that partially on his height. He hated to admit it, but this snow wasn't easy to walk through. It was going to be a very bad drive to his place, but that wasn't Levi's biggest concern. If he crashed his car, well, insurance will cover it. He just didn't want Eren in the car when it happened.

He sighed. If it was his choice, he'd say it'd be safer to go to his place. It wasn't as far of a drive, and if need be they'd walk along the roads. Mikasa would have a bitch fit though, and she'd probably elect herself to come pick him up if that was the case.

Yeah, that wasn't really needed. The less he worried, the better.

Levi looked back into the place one last time, eyes scanning the inside of the bookstore, soon to be empty, to make sure he had everything. He didn't have much to begin with, but it was all he needed, right? He had his phone, and… Well, that was about it. His keys were with Eren-

Just as he thought of the brat, a car horn blared behind him. Levi turned around, prepared to yell at Eren for being such a klutz, but it wasn't him. Eren was still busy trying to get the snow off of his window so he could open the door without snow falling in. If it wasn't him who set off the horn, then who was it?

Levi felt something drop in the pit of his stomach as his eyes began scanning the roads. Further up the snowy road (the road itself was no longer visible), a car was coming down. The car horn was still honking, but Levi could see the tires at a standstill. That didn't keep the car in place though. No, it was sliding right down the road, and the man behind the wheel was blaring his horn at Eren, who wasn't even aware that the car was at the perfect angle to hit him if he didn't move.

"Eren…!" Levi exclaimed, but it was no use. Eren couldn't even hear the car let alone the older man, and he was completely unaware of the impending impact that was heading right towards him.

Fighting against the snow, Levi felt a rush of adrenaline hit him hard. He forced himself forward, legs lifting up higher than they were used to so he could trek through the snow with more speed than he ever had. The car wasn't far away now, and even if it was slow, there was no telling if the tires would grip the ground or not, or if the car would even speed up. The snow had been plowed in the roads, but only to a certain area. He still had to force his legs through the snow, but when it came to the heavy mounds piled to the sides from the snow plows, he had to say fuck it.

Levi used the car as leverage to hoist himself up onto the hood. It was slippery, but it was enough to have him sliding over to the other side and grabbing at Eren's jacket. By this point, Eren had seen him, but to what reasons Levi was acting like this he wasn't sure. All he knew was that Levi used his jacket to throw him further into the road, his legs slipping out underneath him to let him fall into the nearest pile.

Levi was all but relieved, but it was short lived. The headlight of the car made impact with his leg, and while it was by no means a serious hit, it was enough to have Levi tumbling the ground. By this point, the car had slowed significantly, so the impact didn't hurt. What hurt was getting the air knocked out of him when he fell against the road.

"Levy…!" Eren cried out once he'd managed to grasp the situation. He understood that a car nearly hit him, and he also understood was that Levi had pushed him out of the way and saved him. What he understood, but feared, was that Levi was now on the ground, pushing himself up after being hit by the car, which had managed to stop after scrapping into Levi's own car.

Eren pushed himself from the pile of snow and fell to Levi's side, arms pulling him up and bringing him against his lap. Levi wasn't in pain, though a little breathless, but the adrenaline was still rushing in his veins, worry still eminent on his face.

"Are you okay?" He signed to him while forcing himself from Eren's grip.

" _Me…? You just got hit by a fucking car!"_

"I'm fine, Eren! I'm more worried about you!"

" _I'm fine, but we should get you to the hospital or something!"_

"I'll be fine. Go inside for now." Levi told him and stood up, but an immediate pain shot up his leg. Maybe he wasn't as fine as he thought he was.

"Levy, the hospital!" Eren exclaimed and tugged at his arm.

"I said go inside, Eren!" Levi snapped at him. He was not playing games right now. He wasn't going to risk Eren's life out here, and if Eren didn't move, he'd make him move.

The message got across though. Eren jumped at the tone of his voice, even when he couldn't hear it. The tone spoke in his eyes. The expression on his face alone was enough to have him getting up and running back to the store, his heart beating painfully in his chest.

Eren managed his way through the snow, stopping short at the door to look back at Levi. He was worried for the man; of course he was. Who wouldn't be? Levi had told him to go inside, though the older man must have forgotten that he locked the door before they walked out. He stood by, watching as Levi wobbled his way over to the car that had long since stopped against his own.

The man got out of the car, shaking and wide eyed, like the situation that had just happened was impossible to imagine. Eren couldn't hear it, but he could see the man apologizing profusely to Levi. He didn't look upset with him; it was an accident after all. The man's tire caught in the snow and couldn't grip the ground. No matter how much he pumped the brakes, it wouldn't catch. He was just thankful that he had been going so slowly to begin with, or that could have been worse.

Eren was still worried though, still stinging from Levi's expression and words.

Why had Levi yelled at him? What had he done wrong? He was only worried for him. After all, Levi just got hit by a car, a car that nearly hit  _him_.

So why was he mad at him?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're going to love the next chapter. If ya know what I mean. ;) ... Oh, you don't...? ... Oh... Hm... You'll find out...


	18. Sorry, I Care

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know what you're thinking. I was on a roll, wasn't I? I didn't upload during the weekend. Once more, I'm uploading during the week! What is this sorcery? Well it's summer! *dances like an idiot* So happy Tuesday! :D Hope everyone's week is going well. That's unless you read the new chapter of the manga and are currently like "WHYYYYYY WOULD YOU END IT LIKE THAT?!" I've said it before and I'll say it again. Hajime likes to torture us. That's all there is to it.
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the WEEKDAY~! "I Need U"
> 
> By: BTS

**The Change You Wish to See**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death**

**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: Sorry, I Care**

* * *

"We're going to camp out in the office tonight." Levi spoke into the receiver, eyes looking over the snow covered scenery outside the glass door.

" _A-Are you sure? Does the place have heating? What are you even going to sleep on?"_  Mikasa hadn't been keen on the idea of them together in the first place, so when Levi broke the news of them being stranded at the store and that they were going to stay there,  _sleep_  there,  _together_ , she was no less than pleased.

"We've got a mini space heater in there for winter, so with the door closed it'll stay warm." After explaining that, he heard the hushed groan she let out under her breath. "There's a couch in the office too. It's the only one that pulls out into a bed, though I don't think there's enough space in there to do it. We've got blankets and pillows, so we should be good."

" _What about food?"_

"Hanji has a stash of snacks in one of the drawers in my desk. Plus it's only one night. It's not like we'll starve to death within twelve hours." Levi looked back at Eren, watching as the boy messed around with something in his backpack. Probably looking for his phone no less. Had he forgotten he gave it to Levi so he could talk to Mikasa?

" _Does Eren have his medicine with him at least?"_

"Eren has medicine?" This was news, even for him.

" _Just in case he gets a migraine or if he's got any pain in his body. He nearly got hit by a car tonight. I can't imagine he's feeling very good."_

"Well he's been fine so far. If not we've got extra medicine here just in case he runs out." Levi rolled his neck around, feeling the beginnings of aggravation set in. He found it very endearing that Mikasa cared so much, but didn't she ever let up? "I'm not going to let anything happen to him, Mikasa."

" _I know that now…"_  He heard her mutter, seemingly defeated in a way.  _"You got hit by a car for him…"_

"Adrenaline kicked in." Levi improvised, which earned him a scoff.

" _Is your leg okay at least? Eren said it looked bad."_

"It was going five miles an hour. It hurt hitting the ground more than it did getting a headlight to the ass… Stop it. I can hear you smiling." Levi told her. There was the smallest hint of a laugh on the other side of the line before a voice spoke up in the background. Obviously it was Armin.

Levi couldn't make out what it was he was saying. All he could hear was something about a mattress, and then Mikasa responded with a simple 'okay.'

"You guys okay over there?"

" _Yeah, we'll be fine. We're going to sleep downstairs tonight."_

"Sounds like a fun camp out."

" _More or less…"_

" _Mikasa…"_ Levi could hear Armin's voice more clearly, followed by a small conversation. He could hear Mikasa's side of it, but only some of Armin's. It wasn't anything very entertaining though.

"Hey, I'll let you guys take care of things at home. I'm going to put Eren to bed and go to sleep myself."

" _A-Are you sure? There's nothing we can do before then, right?"_

"No, there's nothing you can do. Let's just hope by morning that the snow plows manage to clear the roads." Levi said and looked back when he heard Eren's book bag drop to the floor, followed by a very disgruntled groan. "I'll call you in the morning though to let you know that we're okay."

 _"You better."_ His sister warned from the other end.

"Right. Sleep well." Even if she hated him, that didn't warrant negativity from him. If he could just get her to like him a tiny fraction, then it was a start.

" _Tell Eren I said to sleep well,"_ Mikasa said, sounding worried.

"I will."

" _And that he knows where his pepper spray is if he needs it."_

She just had to get that last bit in.

"Will do. Bye," He didn't really want to wait for a response, but even if he did, he hadn't gotten one. Mikasa hung up quickly, leaving him with the dial tone in the background for him to listen to until he hung up.

Levi sighed as he walked with a limp back over to Eren, eyes squinting to see him in the dim lighting. It'd gotten dark so early, but to make sure no insane person came in, they turned off all the lights and closed the curtains. They didn't need anyone walking in while this weather was going on.

"Looking for something, brat?" Levi asked out loud, but it fell on deaf ears. Eren looked up only moments later when he saw the man's feet within his field of vision, looking irritated and confused. "You didn't forget I had this, did you?" Levi signed to him and held up the small cellphone in his hand.

"N-No…!" He yipped and snagged his phone away. He pulled it back and turned away, but even in the dark, Levi could still see the flush of red on his normally tan cheeks.

"Are you still sulking?" Levi waited until Eren's eyes were on him before signing, questioning his odd, but childish actions.

"No…" Eren pouted.

"Yeah right." Levi sat down on the sofa beside him and leaned back, trying to keep weight off of his leg that still smarted from the accident. "Stop pouting, Eren. It doesn't look good on your face."

" _I'll stop pouting when you admit you're hurt."_ Eren rebuked without looking at his face. He could only stare at his hands.

"Is that what this is about?" Levi remarked skeptically, but with the way he was acting, it was obvious. "You're mad at me for pushing you out of the way?"

" _You could have been seriously hurt."_

"So could you."

" _Had I known then, I would have gladly taken the hit!"_

"You couldn't even hear the car honking at you to move!" Levi exclaimed, but just as the words left his lips, he began to regret it. No, regret wasn't the right word, but he couldn't seem to think of one that could explain how badly he felt for saying that.

Eren looked up at him with a very similar expression he had the day Levi first broke up with him. He looked hurt, like Levi had taken his heart out of his chest and stomped on it. The older man knew that was a sensitive subject for him, so why did he bring it up? Why did he even say that?

"Shit… Eren, I'm sor-"

" _So I'm just something weak and small to protect, right?"_  Eren stood up from the sofa, tossing his backpack aside. He couldn't even care less with it anymore.

"No, Eren, that's not what I-!"

" _I don't need you to protect me!"_

"I never said you needed to be protected, but you didn't know it was coming!" Eren tried looking away, but Levi wasn't done arguing with him just yet. "Had that car hit you and had you gotten hurt, I wouldn't know what to do with myself!"

" _I'm an adult! I'm perfectly capable of handling myself, even if I was hit!"_

"I know you are!"

" _So then why would you bring it up?"_

"Because you didn't hear it coming! Had that happened to anyone else I would have done the same thing!"

" _Nice to know the sentiment is returned."_ Eren scoffed and looked away, arms folding over his chest as a way to say that this conversation was over.

"Hey, shithead, that doesn't mean I don't care about you." Levi said and shoved at his shoulder. "You're important to me. Get it, brat? God forbid something were to happen to you…"

Levi's fingers slowed to a stop, the idea coming about in his mind. What if Eren had gotten hit by that car? What if it had been going faster, and the damage done was far worse than what happened to him? Could either of them been put in a hospital?

He didn't even want to think about seeing Eren in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of his throat. The idea hurt just thinking about it.

"You know what? I'm sorry. I'm sorry I care so much about you that I'd rather take the fall than let you get hurt. I'm sorry I care so much that I wouldn't want to see you in a hospital. I'm sorry, but I'm done with this childish fucking argument." Levi walked away, trying to keep his limp at bay as he did so. He just needed to stop the argument.

He didn't want to keep it going, and at this point, he was so pissed that he couldn't think straight. He didn't need to say more things that would upset Eren, or to get him into further trouble. He didn't need that at all right now, not when his whole leg was suddenly throbbing with pain.

Maybe he was hit harder than he thought. He didn't feel anything when he first got hit, but that could have been the adrenaline rush. Now that they were alone, with the tension in the air between them and the ambiance quiet, he could focus on other things, like his leg.

Damn it hurt. There was nothing he could do about it though besides bear with it. They weren't going anywhere until morning, and any medicine left over needed to be saved in case of a serious emergency. It hurt, but it was bearable.

He just hoped it'd be that way tomorrow, but he knew better. He knew the pain would be excruciating after laying down for longer than eight hours, and then trying to put it back into gear. He knew it'd be that way for the next few days. He was just going to have to suck it up and grind his teeth together like he wasn't in pain.

That was easier said than done though. Each step he took to stand at the counter he found his limp to be more profound. The ache, once dull and manageable, now hurt like hell.

He could make it through the night, right?

"Levy…" Levi sighed at the sound of his name being called out by the only person left with him in the room. He really wasn't in the mood for another argument, but he wasn't one to turn Eren away.

Levi mustered up enough of a façade to pretend he wasn't in pain before turning around. Eren stood behind him, most of his body lost within the darkness, but had it not been for the dimming street lights shining through the curtains, he would have never seen him. The brunette's green eyes shown through the brightest though, and as cheesy as it sounded, his eyes seemed to dull away some of the pain.

"What…?" He didn't mean to be so curt, but he was still stinging from their argument. He didn't need for it to continue.

"I… I'm sorry…" Eren mumbled, eyes looking to the ground while his hands lifted from his sides. All he could come up with, however, was another apology.

"What for…?" Levi asked him. Eren sighed.

"Yelling… I guess…"

"Thanks for the apology." Levi scoffed at his half-assed apology.

" _I mean it… Levi, when I saw you on the ground after that car hit you, I… I got so scared…"_  Eren's hand shook ever so slightly, but it was enough for the man to see, even within the dark. Eren intentionally shook his hands to get rid of the jitters, because if his hands were frantic, Levi wouldn't understand him.

Levi would openly agree though that he was surprised in himself for doing so well so far.

"Funny, I was thinking the same thing when I saw it coming towards you." Levi signed. "How does that saying go?  _'Anger is just fear on its way out,_ ' I believe."

" _I've never heard it before…"_

"Well, that's how it goes…" Levi looked away for a moment, black eyes trying to find something interesting to look at besides the boy in front of him, but there wasn't much besides books. "I'm sorry for yelling too. I was afraid something more could happen, even after I pushed you out of the way. I didn't want you getting hurt."

" _I-I know that now, and I'm sorry for yelling. I got so mad at you, even when you saved me. I just… I couldn't think right at that moment. I thought you were seriously hurt…"_ Eren looked up with those eyes like a puppy, pleading and begging for something, but Levi could only guess what. The older man sighed before holding out an arm for the boy, and like an obedient dog to his master, he came right up to him for a simple hug.

The moment weight was added to him, Levi felt the ache in his leg resurface. Not only did it hurt, it stung. It came as such a surprise that Levi buckled under Eren's warm hug, but he managed to keep himself up with his other leg and his arm around Eren.

"Levy…?" Eren asked and looked at him, seeing the pained expression on his face.  _"I'm worried about your leg…"_

"I'll be fine. Don't worry."

" _What if it's bad though?"_

"If it's really that bad, then I'll go to a doctors first thing tomorrow when the roads are clear.  _If_  they ever clear up. I'm beginning to think it's the end of the world out there…"

" _Do you want some medicine for the pain?"_

"I wouldn't want you wasting it unless it was an emergency." Levi told him, but Eren made a weird face before taking up his hand and pulling him back to the couch. His backpack had been turned right side up, the flaps left open for Eren to go digging through again. Levi took his seat back on the couch, giving his leg a break until Eren pulled out a small sandwich bag with some random pills inside. "Well doesn't that look shady?" Levi mentioned and Eren rolled his eyes.

The teen paused for a moment, eyes looking at the pills with a curious gaze. At first Levi assumed that he was just trying to figure out which one was for pain until Eren opened up the bag and dumped its contents on the floor. He stood up and left his side then, heading to the front door of the store and pushing on it, but it didn't budge. It took a few more pushes for him to realize that it was still locked (he prayed within his mind that Levi didn't somehow see that) before bending over to unlock it and properly open the door.

A gust of cold air hit him, and even from where Levi was sitting, he could feel the air come in to chill his bones. Eren bent over the doorway, his hands disappearing and his actions shadowed by the building, making Levi grunt. He had no idea what the brat was up to by now, but was that really such a surprise to him?

Eren stood back up straight after a few moments and locked the door again. He shook his head that had become quickly covered in flurries, eyes looking about for him in the dark. When he found him, he lifted up his hand to present the little baggy he had been holding, but now the little baggy was packed with snow and closed, creating a cold compress.

"You're something, you know that?" Levi asked, but he didn't sign it. He figured it wasn't too important for Eren to know.

" _Can I see your leg please?"_ Eren asked him as he walked back over to the couch. Levi nodded his head before standing, hands balancing himself out with the couch so he wouldn't fall over. When he felt he was stable enough, or what he would consider stable for a man with an injury, his hands moved down the belt of his pants and undid the clasp holding it together. When Eren realized what it was he was doing, he all but shrieked, taking a few steps back until his back met with one of the bookshelves.

"What…?" Levi asked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion from the brunette's actions.

"W-What, what are you…? What…?" Eren began stuttering, hands shaking too much to justifiably sign what he wanted to say.

"What's wrong?"

" _Why are you removing your belt?"_ Eren finally managed, but his hands couldn't stop shaking.

"So I can take my pants off." Levi stated bluntly.

"Why…?" Eren yipped, and even in the dark, Levi could see how red his face was.

"My pant leg won't lift up that far, and the cold won't get through the wool." He lied just a bit there. His pant leg would lift up just fine. It was wool after all, which didn't mean it was impervious to stretching just a bit. The pants were even a size too big for him already, which was why he needed a belt.

He wouldn't actually admit that though. He liked seeing that vibrant color on his brats face.

His brat.

"Uhm, b-but I… I uhm…" Eren couldn't seem to speak, let alone look him in the eye. Maybe he had teased him too much?

"Eren," Levi sighed and grabbed at his hand. He pulled him close until they had only a few inches of space between them again, but Levi wasn't really intending to tease him. The blush that went down his neck spoke another thing entirely.

"N-No, I… What uhm…"

"Hey," Levi said and leaned back to sit on the couch. "Relax. I'm just messing with you."

" _That isn't funny."_ Eren huffed, but the shake in his hand was still obvious, even when he thought it wasn't.

"Come on. Do you really think I'd do that to you? Mikasa would kill me before I could breathe your name." Levi said as the brunette sat beside him.

"I guess so…" Eren mumbled.

"But if you plan on being in this relationship with me for a while, you'll have to get used to this. You're bound to see me naked every now and again."

"Levy…!" Eren yipped once more and whacked Levi's stomach. It wasn't painful by any means; it was more of a playful hit than one meant to hurt him, but it managed to form a small smile on the older man's lips.

"I'm only speaking the truth. If you don't like it, I'd run now if I were you." Eren rolled his eyes before motioning to the man's pants, hoping he'd hurry up and take them off. Not because he wanted to see the man partially nude; of course not.

Maybe a little, but his biggest concern was tending to the man's injury.

"Take them off," He ordered him in a timid voice.

"You're the least sexy person I've ever met." Levi stated before lifting his hips to pull his pants down. Eren averted his eyes, feeling the burning in his cheeks spreading down his neck and to the tips of his ears. It was bad, really bad, but he didn't know what to make of the situation. The only people he'd ever seen naked were Mikasa and Armin from the days of being kids, running through the creek, and being scolded with a bath afterwards. That was when they were kids though, so that was different.

Levi was a full grown man here, his boyfriend nonetheless (Could he really call him that?). He was stripping in front of him. Sure, it was just his pants and he wasn't completely naked, but Levi was right. If Eren was planning on staying with him, eventually, they'd do it, wouldn't they? Or at least do something more than making out and heavy petting? Eren couldn't see that far into their relationship yet, but at the same time, it wasn't like he could see himself out of it either.

Eren hesitantly looked back, not having given a signal from Levi just yet. He looked back just in time to see Levi fighting to get his pant leg off of his injured leg without jostling it too much, and damn, it was dark enough to hide some things, but it was just bright enough to see the prominent muscles his legs had. It was bright enough to see the dip between his thighs and the creases in his underwear where  _certain things_  were hidden away, and he prayed to whatever gods there were that Levi didn't catch him looking. It was also bright enough to see the long, dark, and painful looking bruise forming on his thigh. He could see the outline of it, as well as the yellowish discoloration around the dark area that spread from his upper hip down to the upper portion of his knee.

Levi thought this wasn't bad? He must not have really seen the damage.

"Levy…" Eren called to him, the worry obvious on his face. Levi looked back to him and noticed the look on his face before following those bright, green eyes of his to his leg. Eren's previous ideas must have been right. Judging by the look of surprise that arose on his face, Levi hadn't realized how badly he'd been hurt.

"Well fuck…" He cursed under his breath. Eren didn't give him the chance to mentally prepare himself, nor did he warn him before pushing the cold pack of snow against his leg. The man jumped in place and leaned away, but wherever he tried to go was in vain. Eren followed him with it until the initial shock disappeared, and the cold was no longer overbearing. "Fuck, Eren! Warn someone next time before you do that!"

"Sorry…" Eren mumbled, eyes suddenly focusing to the floor. He bent over for a moment, fingers moving around the carpet until he could find his pills he had so meaninglessly tossed away. He held up his palm for the man, obviously giving him the opportunity to take them while he still had the chance.

"I'm fine," Levi argued.

" _Take it or I'll shove it down your throat."_ Eren signed with a frown.

"Fine…" Levi sighed, quickly giving in. He didn't have the patience to argue with Eren. He had no patience and a lot of annoying attitude to work with. He'd always win, whether Levi had the energy or not to argue with him, and he really didn't.

Levi took up two of the tiny blue pills in his palm and dipped his head back to swallow them dry. He didn't like it in the least, but he figured that it was better than nothing. The dry ache in his throat with the dull burn would surely pass, and hopefully it would dull the pain he felt. He'd just have to wait though, and who knows how long that would take?

" _I could have gotten you water…"_ Eren signed thoughtfully.

"I'm fine." Levi said and leaned back against the couch. He sighed, trying to forget that he was in pain. It seemed easier with Eren watching, however. The medicine hadn't kicked in yet; of course not, but knowing that Eren's eyes were on him, that those big, green eyes were racking over his body and taking in every little detail he could seemed to distract him. Knowing that Eren's hand was still holding the pack of snow on his leg had an odd sort of warmth bubbling in his stomach despite the cold spot on his leg.

He almost didn't want to look at the brunette, worrying he'll catch his gaze, but he knew he'd have to face it sooner or later. What was he so worried about? It was just Eren. This was the same kid he'd met in the summer, the same kid who he'd seen almost every day since. There was nothing prominently different about Eren, unless he looked at the growth of his hair or how he'd become slightly pale with the change of seasons. That had nothing to do with  _him_  as a person, and nothing about him had changed a bit.

"Levy," Eren said softly, trying to gain his attention.

Yeah, not much had changed  _there_  either.

"What are you blushing for?" Levi asked him after a very long stand of silence.

" _I'm not blushing,"_  Eren argued weakly, eyes trying to look at him, but also look away. He couldn't do that so well when Levi's lower half was partially naked though.

"Can't keep your eyes off of me?"

"Stop it."

"I'm just teasing you, Eren." Levi signed before tapping at his arm softly. "It's not my fault if you can't keep your head out of the gutter."

"Bathroom," Eren muttered and stood up suddenly. Levi watched him walk out of the room awkwardly, head down and eyes adverted. He wasn't going to continue the conversation, and how would he do that? He'd just simply look away and keep himself from reading Levi's hands.

"Maybe I teased him too much…" Levi whispered to himself, but then realized he could have yelled it and it wouldn't have made a difference. He leaned back once more, eyes lifting up to look at the ceiling to relax himself. He hoped that the medicine would kick in within a short amount of time. Even if it wasn't instantaneous, he hoped it'd be soon. This was starting to get unbearable.

So was the cold too, now that he thought about it. They'd been sitting out here for whatever reason, but there was no real point to it. The heat was in the office, as well as the pull out mattress. That would be fun to attempt in that tiny ass office, but it they could pull it off, they'd both have a semi-comfortable bed to sleep on for the night. Thinking about it too, that couch was probably more comfortable than his bed at home.

His bed was how old now? Ancient really. He'd gotten it so long ago, but even when the mattress for the couch was stuffed away, it was probably more comfortable than what he had at home.

So deep in his thoughts of random things, which did well to provide a dilatory distraction for the time being, Levi didn't even realize when the brunette walked out of the bathroom. He only noticed him when Eren walked back into the room and sat down beside him, pulling his brain from random thoughts and bringing back to the situation at hand. It wasn't much of a situation, but it could become one if he didn't solve this soon.

"You know I was just teasing you, right? I didn't mean anything by it." Levi asked him while tilting his head for a better look. Eren hummed in agreement while nodding his head, lips pursed into some sort of odd expression Levi couldn't read. "So then why won't you look at me?"

 _"It's embarrassing..."_  He signed, fingers taut against his lap.

"Did it upset you that much?" Maybe he really had messed with him too much.

" _Not so much upset, just… Made sense…?"_  Eren seemed to trail off, as if the words didn't even make much sense to himself.

"How did it make sense?"

" _Well you're right… Someday we could probably… I mean would probably…"_  Eren made a sound deep in his throat, a mixture of a growl and a whine as he tried figuring out what he wanted to say. He  _knew_  what to say, but tact was not something he was good at.

"And when it happens, it happens. There's no telling when that'll happen, so you shouldn't be so anxious about it now. That's just causing stress you don't need." Levi reached for Eren's hand and grabbed it, feeling how his hand was still cold from holding the snow pack only a few minutes ago. Eren smiled weakly, as if he was trying to agree with the idea of it. It didn't seem to be an easy thing for him to do though.

Eren was the type of person who didn't let things go very easily. Levi had learned that a long time ago, but he was still reminded of it every now and again.

"I guess so…" Eren picked up his makeshift cold pack and placed it back on Levi's leg, once again making the man jump. Levi didn't warn him this time around, but in lieu of it glared at him. Eren smiled that time, trying to hide the fact that he truly enjoyed doing that to him. "Sorry…"

"No you aren't." Levi uttered. Eren laughed it off and leaned forward, his forehead pushing into the older man's lightly. Levi assumed that this was his way of asking for a kiss, so he was no less than prepared for it, but Eren didn't move beyond that. He kept his eyes down, focused on the task of keeping the compress on Levi's leg so the swelling and pain would recede.

Somehow Levi didn't like this. He was expecting a kiss from Eren, considering he was the one who always started them. Maybe he had become a little spoiled with them? He wasn't sure.

"Brat…" Levi scoffed and moved his head. Eren looked up at him just before Levi kissed him, but he didn't pull away. Even though Levi started it, however, it was Eren who pushed forward into the kiss. Snow pack forgotten about, Eren lifted a hand up and placed it against the older man's chest. He felt the heart beneath his fingertips beat, the pace of it quickening the longer their kiss remained connected. His cold fingers inched up further, just barely edging to the collar of his shirt before he stopped.

He opened his eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of Levi's face, closed off and peaceful like it usually was when they kissed, but he found dark eyes already on him. It wasn't like Levi had been watching as they kissed. It was just one of those moments, whatever one wanted to called it, that they looked to each other at the same time. With it, however, they broke apart, much to Eren's chagrin.

"Hey..." Levi breathed against his lips, but it was quickly covered up. Eren leaned forward again for another kiss, so soft and tender, so awfully unpracticed, but it would be a lie to that it wasn't the warmest thing he had ever felt.

Eren's other hand faltered around his leg, his grip tightening, loosening, and then falling. It landed against Levi's other thigh, completely by accident, but the sudden contrast between the warm kiss and his cold hand had Levi jumping in surprise.

"I-I'm sorry," Eren apologized after pulling away quickly. Levi scoffed, the smallest of smiles playing on his lips that was hidden away by the darkness.

"It's okay," Levi assured him. Eren laughed lightly, finding the situation funny for all of the same reasons he did before moving in for another kiss. Whatever got him started Levi didn't know, but it wasn't like he was complaining. He'd never have to worry about Eren or his intentions, because Eren wasn't the type of person to kiss and tell. It would eventually get back to Armin and his sister; even he knew that, but it wouldn't make it far outside of their little circle.

"Levy…" Eren breathed, his breath warm and moist against Levi's lips.

"Hm…?" Levi hummed, hands coming up to wrap around his neck. His fingers tangled within his soft, brown hair, using that as leverage to keep the two of them close. He saw the bob in Eren's throat, he saw those green eyes look down to his lips and then back up in him, and he felt Eren's breath flutter against his lips as he sighed shakily.

"Levy…" He whispered his name softly, unconsciously moving closer

"What is it?" Eren's eyes were so focused on his lips that there was no way he couldn't understand him.

" _I… I want to do it…"_  Eren's fingers shook more than ever as he signed, his breathing a little erratic and his cheeks so dark that Levi thought he might actually have a fever.

"Do what…?" Levi asked him.

"---…" Levi had never bothered to pick up the sign to understand what Eren had said, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know what he was implying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, did I just end it there? Yes I did. :3 *wanders off*


	19. Touch Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm done! I'm done! I am soooooo done with this chapter! I love yaoi. I do. I just don't like writing it. I feel like I lack so much in the department of smut so it's such a pain in the butt to write. I'm trying to think of careful words to place where, but all of the blood is just rushing out of my nose and I can't freaking think straight. e-e So I am soooooo happy to be done with this chapter. Can we get back to regular updates? PLEEEEEEAAAAASE?
> 
> Anyway, as to why this took so long (12,673 words later~), I had a massive test at the end of last month. I'm happy to say that I passed though, and I am now a licensed cosmetologist. ^^ Last step is just waiting for the paper to arrive in the mail! I explained this all on meh tumblr, but I just wanted to say it here in case you don't follow me or you didn't read the new chapter of Lost Cause. XD With that being said, please enjoy this chapter!
> 
> Please enjoy it. I've been working on it for a solid week now. (Is it wrong I was listening to a song called "Ring My Bell" why I was writing this whole thing? *cough cough*)
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
** **  
** **Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: Touch Me**

* * *

"... You what...?" Levi asked incredulously. Eren looked at his hand for a moment before looking away, eyes staring with abandonment at the older man.

_"I want to-"_

"I understood you, Eren!" Levi quickly interrupted. "I just don't know... I mean I can't... Never mind."

"Wait," Eren stopped him when Levi tried to scurry away.  _"Please... Don't go."_

"It's not like I can get far in this weather or with this leg..." Levi uttered, hoping Eren had the decency not to read his lips.

 _"Do you... Not want to do it with me?"_  The brunette asked hesitantly, his heart pounding in his chest and his breathing forced. Was he afraid for a negative answer or relieved? He couldn't tell anymore.

"No... No, that's not it." Levi signed with a slight startle. Did he really want to do it that much with Eren?

Honestly, the idea hadn't popped into his mind enough to take it seriously, and when he and Eren talked about it earlier, it made more sense. Yes, they were in a relationship. Relationships meant doing things most couples did. They kissed, held hands, and did far more than that.

So wasn't that what they were supposed to do? At least once if ever?

 _"You do...?"_  Eren asked hopefully, feeling the blood rushing in his body. Was he excited or scared? Was he anxious or elated? He just couldn't figure it out anymore.

"... I guess? I don't know, Eren. I've never really thought about it." He told him. "It makes sense, but..."

"But...?" Eren questioned out loud.  _"It's not because it's me, right?"_

"Of course not!" Levi chastised. "If anyone I'd rather it'd be you!"

He probably shouldn't have been offended by the idea of what Eren spoke of, but he wasn't the type of person to sleep around. He wasn't the type of person to handle relationships all that well (He figured it a miracle that Eren had been with him this long), so all of this was new. People made it sound like a crime to wait, but it wasn't like he had interest in sex or being with anyone else.

Well, until this brat came along that is.

"Look, Eren... This isn't easy for me to explain. It's not like I've done any of this shit before."

 _"And I have?"_ Eren asked incredulously.  _"I'm still a virgin!"_

"You don't act like it when you're this blunt!"

Why was this becoming an argument? There was nothing here to argue about. They either did it or didn't, so why was it turning into a serious thing?

_"I'm not trying to be blunt! I figured I love you enough to embarrass myself that much in front of you!"_

"... What did you say?" Levi asked, realization suddenly kicking in.

"What...?"

"What you said just now? You said you love me...?"

"No I..." Eren began, but stopped. Yeah, he had said that, hadn't he? He'd said it within the heat of the moment, and realizing that it had come out of him made his cheeks flare red. "I-I didn't mean to... At first I... I-I wasn't thinking...!"

"Shut up, Eren..." Levi scoffed before grabbing the nape of Eren's neck and pulling him forward. Eren fell against him, the air knocking out of him and feeling the same thing happen to the older man when his head fell against his chest. Eren looked up, slightly startled, but Levi had already hidden his face within Eren's brown hair and had his arms wrapped around him in a firm embrace.

"Levy...?" Eren asked, feeling the man's heart beat under his ear. Fingers tightened around him, and on a whim, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi's waist and held tight. He tried looking up again, but in this position, it was no use. "Levy... Kiss me..." He whispered, or at least figured it was that quiet.

At first there was no response. Levi didn't move for a kiss or even to push him away. His face stayed hidden and his arms stayed secure around his body. For a moment Eren wondered if he didn't say something right or if he wasn't loud enough. He couldn't judge the tone in his voice, but he figured this close Levi would have still heard him.

"Levy...?" Eren shifted within his grasp, and finally Levi lifted his head to look at him. Eren wasn't sure what it was he was expecting to see, whether it was some form of emotion or inner turmoil, but Levi looked like he normally looked: Cold, bitter, and a little pissed off. However, the look in his eyes was different than it normally was with those expressions, and before Eren had the chance to figure out what it meant, Levi leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn't on the lips like he had hoped for. Instead it was on his forehead, but it was something at least.

"I'm an idiot," Levi's fingers signed, his lips forming the words against the brunette's skin. Eren lifted his head, lips brushing against his in the process.

"Me too..." He openly agreed. Levi smiled a coy smile and leaned back into the couch, bringing Eren with him to lay flush against his chest. He hoped Eren couldn't feel the fluttering within his chest, but knowing him, he probably already did. He probably noticed it when the first fluctuations began.

"Is this something you really want to do, Eren?" The older man asked him while his eyes looked everywhere but at the golden stare so intent on him.

"Mhm..." Eren hummed.

"Why...? And why with me?"

 _"Because it's you. Because I trust you..."_ He answered without giving it much thought, but doing that meant that he had thought of his plenty of times before.

"Oh really...?" Levi couldn't help but question. Eren shifted within his arms to sit up, pushing himself onto his hands and knees.

"Levy..." He said with a mixture of a pout and a whine. The little scowl forming on his face shouldn't have been as cute as it was right now. Usually Levi found it rather annoying, but maybe it was the pain in his leg and the newly acquired drug that was making this situation seem like less of a situation. He couldn't seem to fully take this into consideration like Eren was and take it like it was really happening.

"Even if we did decide to do it, Eren, I don't have the things we would need for it." Levi tried to explain to him.

_"Like what...?"_

"Like..." When did he ever have the time to learn the sign for a fucking condom? Now it was Levi's turn to scowl. "The things we would need!"

Eren seemed to figure out what he was meaning to say all on his own. His lips parted on a silent sound of understanding before he squirmed out of Levi's grasp and off of the couch. To his backpack he went, and Levi wasn't sure what to think when he produced said 'item' they needed to make this happen.

When Eren had once said that he had most of his life in that backpack, he wasn't kidding.

 _"You meant this, right?"_  Eren asked him and held it out for the older man to take. Levi was tossed between taking it and storming out of the room.

He was being serious about this, wasn't he? Of course he was. The condom was the proof he needed to show it.

"Where did you even get that?" Levi groaned and rubbed at the bridge of his nose, trying to process what it was he was seeing.

_"Well... When Armin found out that we were still dating-"_

"Fucking hell..." Levi bent over so that his elbows were on his knees and so his face could hide in his palms. He couldn't even figure that one out without cringing.

Armin truly was a dangerous person. Funny enough he reminded Levi of Erwin, who always seemed to know everything at every time and date. There was no getting past him, and it seemed like Armin was the same way.

"What...?" Eren asked. _"Not this...?"_

"Eren..." Levi sighed, but his mind wandered. He looked up into golden eyes, so wide to compensate for the darkness continuously creeping around them. The brunette reached a hand out and touched his knees again, hoping to prompt a proper response from him, but he didn't get one.

Instead, Levi pushed himself up onto his aching legs and picked up Eren's hand, pulling him up with him. Eren let himself be pulled out of the room and to the office which, thanks to the storage heater, was toasty and warm. It was darker though, and with the only light being the lamp on the desk, Eren worried what would happen if the older man turned it off.

He was already missing once sense. He didn't know what would happen if he lost the other too.

"Could you help me with this?" Levi asked him as he began removing the cushions from the couch. Eren nodded his head quietly, mentally questioning Levi's actions before tugging the stray cushions aside. Levi grabbed at the futon stuffed away and pulled, but a sudden jolt of pain within his leg reminded him that he couldn't do much.

Eren was beside him quickly enough, picking up the slack and pulling the bed out. The last of it came easily, revealing the thin sheet that was supposed to be a blanket, crushed pillows, and lumpy mattress. He supposed it was better than nothing, but he could see Levi quietly cursing under his breath as he sat down on the edge.

The older man looked up at him from within the dim lighting, making Eren's breath catch in his throat. The man had a dark gaze on him, a gaze not very common and something Eren hadn't personally seen before. It was deep, like he was staring right through him, and was he? Levi tended to know what he was thinking even before Eren knew of it.

"Eren..." Levi said softly and reached for Eren's hand. The brunette took it gladly, feeling the tug on it until it pulled him close enough for his knees to rest beside Levi's thighs.

"Hm...?" Eren hummed.

"Are you really sure about this...?" Levi asked him, his free hand signing away while the other one ran up his arm.

 _"If it's you, then yes..."_  Eren knelt down until he could touch his forehead into Levi's. It was embarrassing to be this close, to stare into his eyes like that, but he felt compelled to do it. Just like he felt compelled to lean forward, close the distance, and kiss him.

This kiss was far different than the previous ones they had shared. It was tender, but the uncertainty and hesitancy was right behind it from both parties. There was a heat between them that wasn't from the mini heater, burning from within them and making Eren's cheeks flush. He wasn't sure if it was the poor lighting in the room or not, but maybe that was a light blush on Levi's cheeks too? Even just a little?

"I don't know how much I can do, Eren. At least not with my leg like this right now..." Levi admitted regretfully against his lips, but his fingers had signed the words unconsciously.

 _"It's okay. I think... I think I can do it..."_  Eren tried to reassure him, but the way he looked when he signed them spoke something else.

"How...?"

 _"Just... Let me handle it."_ Eren leaned forward again and kissed him, quickly cutting off any questions that sat on the older man's tongue. His arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers curling in the longer pieces of his hair for a better grip. His fingers tangled within the soft locks, rolling a few strands of hair between his appendages and then letting it go.

He figured this way he could distract himself at least.

While he did that, Levi's hands settled on his waist. He could feel the heat of his skin through his shirt (Eren hadn't bothered to put his sweater back on), tempting him in all of the right ways.

He had permission, didn't he? Eren and him were about to do it, to have sex, so that meant touching was okay now. At least some of it had to be okay.

Cautiously, while Eren preoccupied himself with kissing the day lights out of him, Levi's hands trailed down further. His fingers snuck to the hem of his shirt and slipped under it, at first finding the warm skin underneath, and then hearing a small sound leave Eren's throat. It wasn't one of discomfort or pain, but the way he suddenly curled back like he had done something wrong said something different.

"What's wrong...?" Levi asked him, slightly tittering from the long kiss.

"It's... Embarrassing..." Eren said softly while his forehead fell against Levi's shoulder. Levi urged him to look up so they could continue their conversation without interruption.

"Want to stop?" He questioned.

"No...!" Eren blurted out, and Levi silently wondered if Eren's cheeks could get any redder.  _"I mean... No... Don't stop... It's embarrassing, but in a good way... I think..."_

Levi chuckled and pressed his lips into the tan column of his neck. He felt a pulse beneath his lips, a pulse beating rapidly and thumping in time with his own heart. It was a strange sensation, but it was appreciated to the fullest. Levi proved it by sucking lightly at that spot, making sure not to leave a mark.

God forbid if Mikasa saw it.

"Hm... Levy..." Eren breathed and tilted his head back. That breathy mewl seemed to kick instincts into gear for the older man, forcing his body into overdrive and pushing boundaries they hadn't yet crossed.

His hands began moving under his shirt again, first at his stomach, and then slowly up higher to make goose bumps rise on warm flesh. The hands in his hair pulled lightly as Levi scratched his nails lightly against the skin on his chest, just until he felt pert buds of skin harder than usual.

Eren recoiled again, but Levi was quickly understanding that he wasn't running away. He just wasn't used to this type of touch, and that was perfectly fine.

Neither was he.

"Lay down..." Levi whispered, the lack of blood in his brain momentarily making him forget that Eren wouldn't be able to hear that. However, Levi's body was guiding him already by the time it clicked and made sense in his head. He was already pulling Eren further onto the bed, helping him to the middle of it before urging him down on his back. The pressure on his leg increased to great altitudes when he put his weight on it, but Levi figured that, if he kept his weight on his good knee, he'd be okay for the time being.

"Levy..." Eren sighed again, his head tilting to the side as he nibbled on the back of his index finger. Levi released a heavy breath he hadn't realized he had been holding before moving to undo the buttons of the brunette's shirt one by one. Each one came apart with a quiet pop, but it sounded absurdly loud in the quiet room, minus the sounds of the mini heater and their panting. Once the shirt was undone, Levi simply pushed the hems to the side.

Levi had only once seen Eren without a shirt on, but that was from an older picture of him at the public pool with Mikasa and Armin (When they found the time to visit, he'd never know). However, the way the brunette's body looked right now was nothing compared to a silly picture.

They say a picture can speak a thousand words. Well obviously a thousand words wasn't enough.

For a kid who rarely left home, he was very well toned. He had abs that would challenge Levi's, but the older man would ultimately win in the end. His skin was soft, unmarred, and clean. Society hadn't worn him down yet, and the man was silently very grateful for that. No one should touch a boy as beautiful as this. No one should touch his brat.

The way Eren's skin glowed in the dim light was truly something. His tan skin, the skin people went to salons to give themselves skin cancer for, wasn't covered in sweat, so it didn't shine in a disgusting way, but instead, it had a strange glow that Levi momentarily thought was his eyesight going bad. That wasn't possible, was it?

"Fuck..." Levi quietly cursed to himself. There was so much he wanted to say right now, and yet nothing was coming out. There was so much he wanted to say, and yet nothing seemed right to describe what was going on with him at the moment.

He couldn't care so much for it though, not when there was a partially naked brunette in front of him whose eyes were pleading for friction, for a touch, for anything to keep the burning arousal going.

Eren sat up on his elbows for a moment, but the moment was long enough to let the sleeves of his shirt slide down his arms. Levi helped him out of it, making sure to be slow and precise. He didn't want to scare Eren away.

It came off easily enough, albeit getting tangled around Eren's wrist at one point. This left his upper half exposed to the older man, but the exposure of his body didn't mean anything compared to what he was thinking.

This was so much more than just a naked body.

"Levy..." Eren said and lifted his arms. Levi moved into his range and let those arms wrap around his shoulders, to pull him down, and to press himself close.

The man wasn't sure what to expect from this, but feeling a hardness within the teen's pants pressing into his thigh suddenly had his stomach doing flips. His head went reeling at the idea that this was really happening, and why was it only taking important precedent in his mind now? They were getting pretty into this. Now was not the best of times for his brain to kick in here.

Levi shook away the prolonging thoughts and kissed Eren. He kissed him like they wouldn't be able to share a kiss again, pushing his lips into his, moving them, feeling the enthusiastic participation edging within the other's gentle touch. He didn't even know when he began tasting Eren as their tongues glided together, and he definitely wasn't sure who started it. Eren seemed like the type who would when he was eager, but right now Levi didn't feel like he had much control over his body.

There was a hum, maybe even a moan of approval before hands started grabbing at the back of Levi's sweater. Levi tried his best to kiss him for as long as he could, but when it was bunched up under his armpits he knew there was just no point. He parted quick enough to rid himself of that and then the shirt, feeling a sudden cold chill crawling up his back. When he tossed the articles of clothing away and looked back down, he saw Eren's eyes on him.

His big eyes were dilated heavily as he gazed upon Levi's body for the first time. Yeah, he'd seen his legs, and yes, his belt was still undone and his pants zipper was still down, but this? Oh this was something very different.

Levi was so muscular, so toned; he looked like he could bench press a truck. His shirts must have been too baggy on him, because Eren never would have guessed that Levi had an eight pack of all things beneath his clothing, followed with heavily muscular arms (He made a mental reminder not to ever get into a fist fight with the man). He had some scarring, the most prominent being a scar over his left pectoral. Others were tiny scratches that had never healed right.

Besides that, he looked so beautiful that Eren thought he was looking at some statue made from the Greeks or Romans.

"Wow..." He wasn't even aware that he breathed out a sigh of arousal as he reached up to touch his chiseled abs. Levi wondered if Eren was at all dizzy; the blood in his head must have been drowning him out by now.

"It's not much," Levi uttered. Eren looked up when he saw his stomach move, but he didn't catch what it was that had been said. He didn't even catch the last of the words from his lips, and Levi didn't bother signing for him.

Looking at this now, this was quite the sight to behold. Eren Jaeger, his boyfriend (That didn't sound like the proper word for them) of half a year, half naked and flushed in front of him. His legs were spread wide and open on either side of him, calves pressing into his thighs, even into that one bad spot, but fuck it. If it meant Eren stayed like this, then Levi would risk a damn broken hip.

 _"You aren't half bad looking either."_  The older man signed to him. Eren smiled awkwardly before reaching up for another embrace. He wasn't disappointed.

Bodies pressed close, skin against skin, arms wrapped around one another, heads reeling, and muscles aching for something, anything really. This was escalating fast with no signs of descending, but who wanted to get down from this? Neither of them that was for sure.

Levi's hands wandered. At first they sat high on his chest, rubbing and kneading the pert buds on his chest between his thumb and index finger. Then it was lower to the edge of his pants that hung loose on his hips, enough to show his protruding hip bones. The further his hands went down, the further his mouth moved. From lips to neck, and then neck to chest, the older man realized that he had no control over this. His body had taken over all rational thought.

This wasn't stopping until the end.

He soon found his mouth at the hem of his pants, along with his fingers that skimmed the waist band with interest. Placing a kiss to his right hip, Levi looked up for something, approval or a sign to say stop. Eren's golden eyes, wide and practically black by the darkened room, spoke many things. His expression told many more, but nothing screamed at him to halt all of his actions and back pedal. He waited, just to be sure, but that only seemed to fuel the blush burning Eren's cheeks.

His legs shifted, forcing his hips to move. More than likely it was his silent (and he hoped sly) way of saying to get things moving again, but Levi didn't need to be told twice. He just wanted to be sure.

The older man sat up on his heels and pulled lightly, the sudden tug revealing the triangular shaping of muscle between his hips. His heart skipped a beat, and then the next one thudded against his ribs so hard that it hurt.

Just another hard tug and Eren would be naked. Completely and totally exposed. One more tug and he'd see things he wouldn't be able to un-see.

What was this hesitation though? Eren looked like he was about to explode with embarrassment, and yet he was letting Levi do all of this to him. He trusted him that much, and if that was the case, the least he could do was stop being such a baby.

What was the worst that could happen?

Levi stored the last of his internal questions away in a mental box marked  _'for later'_  before pulling in one smooth glide. He didn't look at first, not  _there_  anyway. He looked at the way his pants and underwear slowly slid down his legs, as if he were opening a present. His skin was smooth despite the light dusting of hair over them, and just like his chest he didn't have anything to mar his perfect, tan skin. He couldn't help but place kisses to his kneecaps when they were revealed and continued until he could pull his pants all the way off.

Eren kept his legs together. This was where his resolution was starting to falter, even if he wanted this. It was embarrassing after all. When was the last time someone had seen him exposed and naked like the day he was born? Sadly enough, probably Mikasa walking in on him while he was in the bathtub. That was something entirely different though.

This was this. Soon enough, Levi would be doing a lot more than just looking at it. He'd be touching, he'd be-

Eren whined at the mental images. Even if porn was overacted, stuff like that still happened. Would Levi even be willing to put his mouth down there? It seemed absurd at the most, ridiculous at best.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked him quietly, his free hand moving up his outer thigh just for the feel of it.

"M-Mhm..." Eren hummed and nodded his head. He couldn't bring himself to part his legs just yet, sudden fears that were the dumbest of things to fear rising up within him.

What if, God forbid, Levi looked at him and laughed? What if he thought he was too tiny, or something even more ridiculous? Levi wasn't that type of person, but Levi hadn't seen him naked just yet. Things could change very fast depending on the situation.

"Levy... Y-You too..." Eren leaned up again on his elbow and reached for the hem of the man's pants. He tugged the already loose belt and zipper and pulled down, but in his position, it went nowhere.

"Okay, just relax." Levi said with a huff. He moved over to the edge of the bed to give himself something better to work with before lifting his hips and pulling his pants down. He questioned his underwear, but it was a quick question that was denied faster than it had popped up into his head.

If Eren was willing to be naked for him, to expose himself all at once, then he sure as hell would too.

His pants came off quick enough, though he made sure to pace himself. No use in being hasty. The light behind him suddenly turned off, plummeting the room into semi-darkness. The light from the hallway was just enough to illuminate the room from the cracked open door, but like this, there was less to judge based on his line of sight.

Levi looked back to the bed, but he found that Eren had climbed under the thin sheet that was supposed to be their blanket. Now probably wasn't the best time to be self-conscious, but Levi could allow him this much to stay comfortable.

"We can stop if you want..." Levi signed as he pulled the sheet back to climb under.

"No..." Eren mumbled. Levi scooted closer, feeling his bad leg brush against Eren's hip as Eren rolled onto his side. He was opening up, but the older man could still sense the hesitancy. _"It's okay, just..."_

"Hm...?" Levi questioned when Eren's fingers stopped, placing a ginger kiss to his forehead.

 _"Touch me..."_  Eren's fingers shook with his admission, a heavy breath leaving him in an exasperated sigh. Levi chuckled under his breath; those two motions didn't match well with each other, but this  _was_  Eren he was looking at.

"Alright..." He quietly agreed and pulled Eren against him.

Eren gasped before his lips were overtaken in a kiss. He barely had a chance to respond before he felt a hand on his chest, rubbing at the bones of his ribs and then down further. It felt like the air grew thinner between them as that hand roamed around his hip, Levi's other hand urging him to lie back down against the mattress. He felt like he couldn't go against him, even if he wanted to; his body was moving on its own accord.

When had his hands fallen to Levi's hips as well? Was his body just repeating Levi's steps in order to form a sense of security, or was it following that thing called "instinct" that only applied to moments like this? He honestly couldn't tell anymore, but it wasn't like he cared.

That warm hand was getting closer to him. Each time Levi rubbed at his hip, it moved further and further into territory no one else besides him had touched. It was definitely a strange sensation that he had nothing to compare to. His hands never felt like this on his body, like they were wanting and caring. They felt nothing like Levi's gentle touches.

After a few more rough kisses, each beginning to consist more and more or tongues and teeth than lips, Levi's hand finally brushed against his heated erection.

Oh, this was definitely not the same sensation as his own hand.

Just a simple brush of skin had Eren's head reeling, falling back into the lumpy mattress and breaking the kiss between them. It wasn't like anything he'd felt before, and was it supposed to be that sensitive? He remembered his first years of puberty and how badly everything felt against him, but this wasn't that at all.

Levi looked at him worriedly, but when Eren made no objections, his fingers trailed over the hot flesh lightly.

"Levy..." Eren breathed while his nails dug into the skin of his hip bones. He couldn't bring himself to touch the man just yet.

Levi sat back again, letting the blanket slide to his lower back as he held his erection fully within his hand. He stroked the hardness within his hand a couple of times, testing the waters, but Eren's reactions were breathtaking. The way his back arched lightly, the way his hands fell from his hips to grip the sheet below him, the beautiful moan that flutter from deep within his throat.

"Fuck..." Levi cursed under his breath once more. He didn't think he'd feel this light headed so early on, but he'd blame that on Eren later. Right now, he had to focus on this.

Levi hadn't touched anyone else like this before. Relationships just weren't his thing, but he didn't think it'd be like this. He swore that Eren was doing it intentionally; he had to be. Otherwise he was just that tempting.

With each stroke to his erection, his grip tightened. Levi's other hand ran up the inside of his thigh, bringing goose bumps to his warm skin before moving it up his chest. Eren arched within the touch as those finger danced across his skin, hiding his face away in his arm, but he didn't know why. Doing that wouldn't hide him; Levi had already seen this personal side of him, so there was no going back.

"Eren..." Levi whispered as leaned forward. He brushed his lips against the teen's cheek to catch his attention, and when he had it, he made sure to keep it. The kiss he shared with him was much softer than the others, probably because Eren couldn't keep up with it now. His whole body felt numb and weak at the same time.

How was he doing this to him?

"L-Levy…" Eren panted against his lips, hands grabbing at his shoulders and pulling him closer. Levi leaned forward, pushing his lower half into the teen beneath him that earned him a beautiful moan, but he had forgotten about his leg. The sudden pressure it put on it caused it to ache, a feeling that had Levi visibly cringing in pain. He thought he could handle it, but damn, hadn't the medicine kicked in yet?

Eren noticed his pained expression all too quickly. He let him go and sat back, his eyes showing the worry he felt, but all Levi felt was guilt. Eren shouldn't have been worrying about him at a time like now.

"I'm sorry…" Eren said, slightly out of breath.

"I'm fine…" He mumbled, fingers barely able to form what it was he needed to say.

"Levy…" Eren lifted his arms and pulled again. He knew Levi would be smarter about his leg this time, so worrying about it wasn't necessary. "Lay down…" He whispered.

"Why…?" Levi asked, but he knew it was pointless. He did as told, falling to rest his back on the mattress so that Eren could hover over him. It didn't take long for him to understand why Eren had him lie like this; that he wanted to keep Levi off of his bad leg, but this wasn't going to get them very far. "Eren…"

It didn't take long to realize why else Eren had him lie down.

Even in the dark and from under the blankets Levi could see Eren's hands moving. He could feel them on his chest sliding down, very ginger and shaking as he thought over if he really wanted to do this or not. That was a dumb idea though; of course he wanted to do it. He just had to grow the courage to do it, and  _fast_.

Eren's hands fell softly against his inner thighs, slowly working up. His hand was careful of Levi's injury, but at least this way he could work himself up to what he was aiming for.

Levi wasn't stupid. He knew where this was going, where those hands were going. He couldn't say he wasn't anticipating it, because that would be a lie. He was, but he wasn't going to rush the poor kid.

"Eren-" He began, but within the darkness he felt those fingers creep along his hardened flesh. They jerked back suddenly, like he hadn't been expecting to make contact with it just yet, but after a few short moments, they returned.

Levi breathed in a deep breath, his bottom lip caught between his teeth. Eren's golden eyes were so honest and truthful. He could see it even through the dark, and it was so hard to take it to heart and know that this meant more than what they thought when Eren's hand began to stroke him.

Levi leaned back into the pillow barely edged under his head, eyes half lidded and looking up at the ceiling. His focus fell onto the sensation he was feeling, the heat rising up in his stomach and the tingly feeling in his toes. He hadn't felt this sensation in such a long time; he had almost forgotten what it was like. Was it always like this? This heat? This warmth? Was it always so drastically different, or was it because he had nothing but the company of his hand in previous years?

"Shit…" Levi cursed and sat up. Eren's eyes lifted to look at him, questioning the sudden jerk. Levi waved him off, assuring him he was fine before pushing himself forward to grab at Eren's waist. If Eren was going to do that, the least he could do was preoccupy himself with something other than fantasies while everything he could ever want was right there in front of him.

"Levy…" Eren began, but Levi situated themselves so that Eren's lower end was by his face and so it was the same for Eren on his side. "L-Levy…!" He practically squeaked, but it was suddenly filled in by a moan as Levi's lip kissed the inside of his thigh.

Levi was really going to do it? He was going to put his mouth down there? Eren knew he was very new to sex; that wasn't a hard thing to guess or admit, but the idea of it still blew his mind.

Eren whined and lowered his head against the man's thigh, eyes cast off to the side to look anywhere but down. It was embarrassing enough to touch it, but to be so close was a whole different story. He waited for the inevitable feeling, whatever that would be, and soon enough, he felt something different that wasn't a hand touching him.

Eren whined again as lips skimmed over the prominent vein at the bottom before licking his way up to the head. It wasn't a pleasant taste if Levi were being honest, but that was a given for what he was doing. His lips closed over the head and sucked, and Levi felt a rush of warmth spread over him when he heard the beautiful moan leave Eren's throat.

Levi was silently thanking their luck that they got stuck at the shop. Had they been at his apartment, the neighbors would probably complain about Eren's voice being too loud.

"L-Levy…" Eren's hand grabbed at the base of Levi's erection to rub it as he continued to say his name like a prayer. Had he not felt it from Levi's chest, he wouldn't have realized that Levi had groaned at his own action. It was tempting, even when he couldn't hear his voice, but it was enough to have him pumping at his cock to provide friction.

Levi's lips sunk further onto him, taking him down as far as his mouth and throat could allow before pulling back up. He sucked slow and hard, taking the time to run his tongue over every sensitive spot he could find on him. It seemed like that was everywhere for the teen, even from his inner thighs to the skin on his back. It had goose bumps rising on his skin and his back arching, unintentionally pushing his lower half down. Levi would have reprimanded him for such an insane action; he didn't feel like dying today, but suddenly Eren was copying his movements.

His tongue stuck out feverishly, tracing a vein running from the base to the tip of the older man's cock. He wasn't sure what he was expecting from the taste, but it wasn't the most terrible thing in the world. Knowing he could handle it now, his hand pumped him at an easy pace while his lips covered the head, flushed red from lack of friction, and sucked.

Levi had never felt the need to groan so loud before. He didn't think Eren would do it. He didn't think Eren  _could_  do it, but damn was he grateful for it. It had his toes curling into the mattress below them and his hands spreading his cheeks apart. Grey eyes stared at the entrance in front of him, fixated on the idea of what was about to happen.

Would Eren be okay with it? With the idea of him putting it inside that tiny little space? Well, he already knew the answer to that. If Eren had a condom with him, then he had thought of the idea. If he had thought of it thoroughly enough (Levi hoped that was the case), then that meant he kept it because he wanted to do this. If he didn't want to do it, he would have thrown it away, right?

Levi finished sucking on him with one last hard suck, causing the teen to moan against him. It felt like heaven when those vibrations fluttered down his erection, and to reward him, Levi massaged the sack dangling from his organ with one hand while the other kept a firm grip on his butt.

Eren moaned again, another beautiful sound and sensation. If he kept doing that, Levi wasn't sure he could promise he'd make it to the end. He had to keep his composure though, long enough at least to get that far. He couldn't ruin it by coming too early.

Wouldn't that ruin the mood?

Keeping his attention distracted on his hand, Levi bent his neck at an uncomfortable angle to reach his destination. His tongue slipped past his lips to lick at the puckered opening, experimentally getting a taste. He was expecting the worst, and it wasn't anything good, but it wasn't as bad as he thought it was. He thought he'd be puking his guts up by now, but he was surprised that he wasn't.

"L-Levy…?" Eren yipped, lips pulling off of him and hand at a standstill as he tried to look over his shoulder at the man. Levi stayed quiet, ignoring his questioning tone to repeat his action, this time pushing against the entrance and hoping it'd give way. Eren's whole body was racked with shivers, his head once again falling to his inner thigh so he could pant harshly against his slightly sweaty skin. "S-Stop, it's… D-Dirty…" Eren whined.

"Not a damn thing about you is dirty, kid." Levi huffed against his skin before pushing back in. His entrance gave way, his tongue barely pushing in an inch before Eren whined loudly. His head shook against his leg, arm reaching back and hand grasping for something of Levi's. Levi took up the waiting hand, tangling his fingers to hold onto his despite the awkward angle his wrist was bent, but Eren had no complaints about the position. The only thing he couldn't seem to wrap his head around was the fact that Levi had his tongue  _inside_  of him.

"W-Wait," Eren panted and tried sitting up. Levi's grip on him was firm, but feeling the tug of his body allowed his release for him. Eren barely managed to sit up, however, before he was back to resting on his hands, body shaking.

"You okay…?" Levi whispered while sitting up to touch his back. Once again it wasn't clicking in his head that Eren wouldn't hear him.

Eren shifted, pushing his body from Levi's to turn around. His face was the loveliest shade of red he had ever seen on him before, and Eren had blushed plenty of times before this. Maybe it was the light in the hallway or the dim glow of his eyes, maybe even the tousled hair and swollen lips, but Levi's breath caught in his throat so fast that he couldn't think straight beyond wanting to kiss him and never let him go.

"L-Levy…" Eren whispered and moved forward. He wrapped his arms around Levi's shoulders and pulled him close, his knees lifting over his hips to sit on either side of his thighs. Like this he thankfully was not disturbing his injury, and yet it left little space between them. Like this Levi could look up into those golden eyes and see his own reflection shining off of his eyes like a mirror.

"You're beautiful…" Levi whispered without even realizing it, the words leaving his lips and leaving an odd sort of feeling within his chest, like something was fluttering against his heart. He had hoped Eren didn't noticed, but like everything else, Eren read his lips easily enough. Eren let out a small sound in his throat before moving forward, hesitantly kissing him. At first Levi couldn't understand why, but when Eren's tongue barely licked his lips, he remembered where his mouth had been previously.

However, the brunette continued to kiss him, their tongues once again dancing and hands roaming over their bodies. That must have been a good thing, if anything.

The kiss didn't last long. After all of the panting Eren had been doing, he was having a hard time keeping himself grounded. The older man even noticed himself that he was a little breathless. That was okay though. It meant that he could look at that face and that he could caress that cheek and let his thumb wander over soft lips that parted easily. Eren willingly took part in licking the pad of his thumb, just letting him enjoy it while he could. Levi carefully pulled it away before replacing it with his fingers, silently questioning him, and he wasn't let down.

Eren's lips took in just one finger at first. His own eyes were questioning, wondering himself about the actions before he took in another. He knew what to do. It was obvious after all, but that didn't make it any easier or any less embarrassing on his part. After the third finger, however, and seeing Levi's eyes glazed over in a sort of fog Eren hadn't seen before, he felt an odd sort of satisfaction bubbling inside his stomach.

Had anyone else seen Levi like this? Had anyone else been able to do this to him, or was it just him? If it had only been him, then Eren could say that he felt honored.

"You still okay with this…?" Levi asked with his free hand, though his lips barely mumbled the words. Eren seemed more focused on his lips than him, eyes drifting up to his eyes as he let go of his fingers.

"Mhm…" He hummed. Levi nodded his head as his hand, now covered with a sufficient amount of the brunette's saliva, traveled over his ribs and past his hips to the entrance he had been teasing not too long ago. Eren sucked in a heavy breath as his fingers began teasing, pushing, but not entering him. He dropped his head down against his shoulder, effectively arching his back in another perfect position as he waited for that feeling.

What would I feel like? He could only wonder, at least until it happened.

Levi's eyes watched carefully for any signs to tell him to stop, anything quiet and hidden away from Eren that would say this was wrong before pushing past the tight ring of muscle. Eren's body shook hard before freezing up, waiting for something, whatever it was. Whether it was pain, pleasure, some odd sensations, he couldn't tell. It was definitely odd, that was for sure. That was where things came out, not went in, wasn't it? And yet here was his boyfriend pushing his finger further in, his second knuckled already nudging the puckered entrance.

Levi waited, not budging and inch and looking at Eren closely. Should he wait longer? Should he pull it out and stop? This was very hard to do, more so than he could have ever imagined.

"You okay…?" Levi asked against his skin, hoping Eren would lift his head. Eren must have known what he said somehow. He must have read it against his skin or just known that it was something Levi would ask, because the slight nod of his head against his shoulder was a definite answer.

Levi took that as a good sign. It wasn't all falling apart just yet, and that was enough for him to keep going.

He pushed his finger in a little further, centimeter by centimeter as he continued to watch Eren for signs of pain. None came, not even when his third knuckle was brushing against his entrance and he could feel the walls closing around his finger. So he continued a slow, steady rhythm of pulling his finger out and pushing it back in. Every now and again he'd crook his finger in a different angle to assure that he was properly being stretched, and that would soon be followed by a low and tantalizing sound.

Eren's hips pushed back on him, body tightening and hands clenching at his shoulders when his finger pushed in farther than before. Whether this was his silent way of saying to continue or just a reaction Levi couldn't be sure, but he knew that this was moving along better than he expecting. To him, that meant he could try pushing a little more.

His middle finger, now slightly dried, nudged at his entrance first, lightly pushing and testing the waters before pushing in. Eren panted harshly for a moment, and it was then that Levi could feel his limits being tested. This was where Eren needed his time, or it was going to hurt regardless of what he did.

The older man lifted his head for a moment, eyes searching the dark room for the condom Eren had not too long ago. He couldn't see it though, but whether it was trapped in a pants pocket or lots in the sheets he wasn't sure.

"Damn it," Levi quietly cursed before his free hand began feeling around for the packaging he hoped to find.

"Levy…?" Eren panted while lifting his head. He had felt Levi sifting around through the sheets, but for what he wasn't sure.

"Do you know where the…" Levi stopped when he remembered that he didn't know the sign he'd half to use to properly ask his question. However, Eren seemed to get it just fine.

"My pocket…" Eren whispered and pointed to his pants thrown haphazardly against the frame of the couch. Levi thanked his lucky stars that he didn't have to pull out, only having to reach back and grab at Eren's pants. He had to fish around for the item for a moment, but it wasn't hard to feel the plastic within the fabric and pull it out.

Now all he hoped was that it was self-lubricated. That was a thing, right? It had to be. If not, this was going to be a lot more painful than it needed to be, and Levi didn't think that hand lotion would suffice.

"Let me…" Eren whispered once more before taking the package from him. Levi quietly thanked him before getting back to the task at hand, which was stretching him. Eren wasn't tensing around him anymore, which was a good sign, but they had a long way to go.

His fingers pulled apart, pushing the limits once more and feeling the tight restrictions of muscle contract around him. Eren faltered with the condom as Levi's fingers slowly eased in and out of him, slowly prepping him with gentle nudges and partings while Levi kissed at his shoulder. He managed to get the wrapper off just fine, though the inside of it was sticky and covered in something (He could only guess what). It made it harder to work with, harder to put on the older man, but at least he got it. He was glad now that he did bother trying to figure out how to put it on. He never understood why there was a certain way to do it, but this was the only condom he had and he'd rather not break it.

Levi felt the slip of the material on him and sighed, both out of bliss and relief. It was indeed self-lubricated, and he made a mental note to thank Armin when this was all over. He was a very smart kid after all.

The euphoria he felt only lasted for a short moment. After a particular curl of his fingers, Eren suddenly moaned rather loudly (Once again he was thankful that there weren't any neighbors). His body arched and his nails scraped into the skin of his back. His hips even rolled back onto his fingers, searching for whatever it was that he had just done and hoping for another touch.

"Levy…" He breathed heavily as he looked up at grey eyes dark and glazed over with a fog of lust. Was Eren even aware of what he was doing to Levi right now? Was he even aware of how much this position affected him so badly?

"Fuck, Eren…" Levi cursed and started thrusting his fingers with more force. Eren's lips parted to groan, the pain and tightness he had felt before suddenly not as intense. The pain was giving way to pleasure as those fingers rubbed at his inner walls in all of the right ways. He was beginning to see stars, but was that a good or a bad thing? As far as he was aware, it wasn't very good to see white spots in front of your vision.

"F-Feels good…" Eren panted, lips grazing against the skin over his pulse. He could feel it beating rapidly from under his lips, and just for a moment he thought he could get an idea of what it would sound like.

Levi swallowed, feeling a thick lump in his throat forming that was constricting his breathing. Take it slow. He had to remind himself of that. If not it would hurt, but Eren looked more fucked out in bliss than he did in pain. Was it okay to push it again, or should he just wait it out?

The first option seemed to take precedent in his mind. Levi brought his hand down to stroke himself for a moment, gathering some of the slippery substance between his fingers before letting go. He used that to coat his last finger in and rub it against his entrance, hoping this would help kill whatever pain he was about to feel, if any. Levi sat back, allowing his hand to hold himself up while his finger began pushing its way through. Eren held his breath once more, eyes staring back at him with a fondness he'd never seen before.

"L-Levy-!" He rasped and pressed his forehead into the older man's. Was this his way of saying stop? Was he trying to tell him something else? He wasn't sure.

"You okay?" Levi couldn't help but ask. He didn't want to hurt him.

"'M okay…" Eren mumbled, lips barely able to form the words. Levi kissed his lips quietly, hoping to provide a distraction while his fingers pushed farther in. He felt everything around him that had to deal with Eren tighten considerably. He made sure he was slow, just like before. With each finger he made sure to rub in all of the right places, and with each gentle thrust, he kept his eyes on Eren, making sure he was okay.

Just like before, he grazed  _something_  right, and like the first reaction, his second one was perfect. Whatever it was that he did, it had Eren's eyes rolling back and his body loosening. His muscles relaxed with every push into it and welcomed the intruding appendages with fever.

Soon enough, the brunette shook his head, trying to pull himself away from those fingers. At first Levi had thought he had done something wrong, that he had hurt him or this was too much for him, but Eren didn't respond to those internal worries. Instead he pulled Levi's hand up to his chest and held it there while pushing himself against Levi, rubbing his entrance over his cock just right. His head tilted back as he sighed, body willingly accepting what was about to happen, and honestly, he wasn't sure if he had any cares at this point.

"Eren…?" Levi called to him softly, his hands tightening around Eren's own. Eren look down between them to the erection pressed against him firmly. With the single mindedness of a man about to drown, he reached down between them and grabbed at it carefully, not sure how this would work. He'd seen porn before, so he knew how it worked, but theory didn't beat out actions.

Under his breath, he whispered Levi's name, or rather the nickname he had been given. He whispered it softly like it really was a prayer for him as he lined up the tip of his length to his entrance and pushed.

The hand that had been holding himself up now darted to hold onto Eren's waist, keeping him in place as he sunk down onto him. The heat that engulfed him was nothing like Eren's mouth, but he wasn't sure yet which one he preferred. The tightness was damn near blinding, leaving himself with a lack of breath and feeling like everything he knew in life was a damn lie.

His body trembled with anticipation the further Eren sunk down, but he had lost himself so within the pleasure that he had momentarily forgotten about Eren.

The brunette didn't look like he was about to die from the pain. That much was a given. He did look like he felt something though. What was it? It looked like he was lost between deciding if he was in pain or if he was losing himself to utter bliss. With his eyes scrunched up, his lips parted without making a sound, and that cute little scrunch in his nose, it was really hard to tell.

"E-Eren…!" Levi gripped at his hips with both hands now, his nails scratching little crescent shaped marks into his skin. Eren busied himself with hiding his face in Levi's shoulder, breath hot and heavy against his neck and his own nails scratching into his back. Levi figured he'd rather have it that way. After all, if Eren was in pain, there was no use in worrying over his own wellbeing. "D-Does it hurt?" He asked him, breathing against his ear.

There was no response, but why he was surprised about that he wasn't sure. He should have expected that.

Levi reached between them and grabbed at Eren's cock, which had gone slightly limp. Obviously this didn't feel all that great, but he hoped that this would make up for it somehow, or at least provide a distraction for him.

"Aha…" The sound Eren made beside his ear had goose bumps crawling up his skin. It sounded so weak, so powerless, so broken down, and yet Eren still made an attempt to keep things going by rolling his hips within the man's lap.

If that wasn't the most sexual thing Levi had ever seen being performed by anyone, he wasn't sure what was. The way his body looked right now, with his cock inside of him and his legs parted on either side of his body. With a light sheen of sweat going down his naked back and with his hair sticking to his face. With his eyes half lidded and cloudy, only looking at him.

This should have been illegal. It really should have.

Levi pulled Eren's face back to his and kissed him. It was heated with arousal burning around them, but it was so gentle at the same time. So needy and perfect in every way.

That's all this was. It was perfect. There was no better word to describe all of this right now, and if there was no such thing as perfection, it was as close to it as it could be.

Levi felt a burning sensation taking over his lower abdomen, a sensation that had him pushing his hips up with the next roll of Eren's hips. His leg didn't appreciate that at all, but fuck his leg. He had suffered through worse pain than this, and he'd go through it again if need be.

Eren gasped, but what soon followed was nothing more than a moan. Levi repeated the action at the same time Eren lifted himself up off of Levi's hips and brought them own down again, creating a spark and a wet slapping sound between their bodies. Besides that, Eren's heavenly moans filled the room quite nicely. Eren couldn't possibly know how loud he was getting without his hearing, and right now Levi wouldn't have had it any other way. He liked how Eren's voice seemed higher than he could usually reach, followed by a raspy breath that sounded like it would make his throat sore by morning. He liked it all, and he didn't need his neighbors getting involved with it.

They set a pace quickly after that. What started as rolls of Eren's hips and a few small thrusts became a brutal pace that consisted of him dropping his hips down onto Levi's when he thrusted up to meet him. The erection within Levi's grasp throbbed, precum leaking from the slit and dripping onto his hand. It made rubbing at his skin that much easier, as did it intensify the pleasure Eren was feeling.

They were getting closer. Each push into that sensitive bundle of nerves, each clench of Eren's muscles had both of them panting and moaning. At this point, whether there were neighbors or not, Levi didn't care if the whole world heard them.

"I-I love you..."

The words slipped, but without Eren's hearing, Levi knew he was safe. However, upon saying the words himself, it felt like reality had taken cold water and splashed him in the face with it. It felt like something was lifted off of his chest, lifted off of his shoulders. He felt lighter, happier, and like he could be fifty meters tall, which he knew was physically impossible. Mentally, he was soaring all the same. He was so far up, and he didn't want to come down.

He'd never felt like this before.

"I love you, I-I love you, E-Eren!" Levi bit into his bottom lip, the heat around him intensifying. The coil in his stomach was twisted and pulled too far, a spring ready to snap at any moment. "Shit!"

The admission caused the pleasure to double. At this rate, he wasn't going to last any longer than two minutes, and he couldn't lie and say he would be upset with that.

The admission of the silent feelings that had been eluding him hit him hard and fast. It was so obvious to him now, and yet he didn't understand why he didn't realize it before. Or maybe he was just trying to deny it, because he was just that stubborn.

Fuck the mental rules he had ever set up all of those years ago. Fuck being alone and hiding in a bookstore where nothing happened. If it meant making the biggest asshole out of himself in the world for Eren, then he'd do it.

He was in love.

"L-Levy- Ah! Levy!" Eren's nails scrapped across Levi's forearms, but at this point, Levi was so lost in pleasure that he hadn't taken notice to the pain. Levi wrapped his arms behind Eren's head, his hands clinging to his thin body for dear life. Eren followed his lead, his arms snaking around the older man's shoulders. In this position, with their sweaty bodies pressed together tightly and Levi's face buried into Eren's neck, there was no way Levi couldn't miss a syllable out of those perfect lips.

Eren's frantic panting, gasping, and moaning were becoming downright screams. Levi leaned back only far enough so he could kiss Eren, his hand cupping each cheek in a rough, needy, but loving hold. His thrusting became erratic, his hold on reality slipping. He didn't care about anything anymore; all he could care about, all he could think about, was Eren, of him on top of him, of his big, golden eyes on him, of those lips saying a morphed version of his name and making him come undone.

And with those thoughts about the beautiful boy, that coil snapped.

He had no choice to break the kiss, but only because of the sudden gasp leaving him. Releasing his hold on the boy's lips provided the screams he tried to muffle, but now he heard the undertone of a rasp as Eren's body arched in the most perfect of ways. He hid his face back into Eren's neck, his arms wrapping around his waist and holding onto him as he rode out that wave of orgasm. Eren's muscles tightened around him more than any other of the times they had, and the painful pressure and blissful heat made him blindsided to the boy's own orgasm.

Eren's body rolled into him a few more times, his cock rubbing against Levi's abs and smearing the warm bodily fluid around as he rode out his pleasure. It only took a few more shallow thrusts before the two stilled completely, bodies becoming lax and falling back onto the bed. The brunette landed on top of Levi with a heavy thud and a grunt from the both of them. His arms fell by his sides, fingers barely clasping at the blanket below them from exhaustion. Levi was much the same way, though his arms were draped over Eren's sweaty back. If it weren't for their position, his arms probably would have fallen beside his head.

The two of them laid there for what felt like ages. It took any last energy Levi had left to pull out and get the condom off. Within the dark, without the light and without anything to distract them, it felt even longer. Breathing went from harsh and heavy to light and quiet, almost as if they had fallen asleep, but that wasn't the case. One would think after a physical exertion like that, they'd be out cold by now, but that didn't seem to be happening. They were more wide awake now than when they started.

He didn't want to move though. Even with Eren laying on him, he was so comfortable like this. He was so comfortable with another person beside (Or in his case, on top) of him, with someone's breath against his neck, with someone's heartbeat directly over his. This was all so soothing. He'd been missing out before, but he was glad it was Eren he got to experience this with.

He loved him after all.

"Levy…" Eren said softly in the dense quiet, his voice raspy and scratchy. That was probably from all of the moaning he had been doing.

"Hm…?" Levi hummed, knowing Eren would feel the response. Eren lifted his head up some, looking up with his big, golden eyes and an adorable look on his face that was hard to resist. He even brushed back Eren's bangs so he could get them out of his face. Eren smiled softly, nuzzling into his hand with a newfound blush on his cheeks.

" _What I said before… I didn't mean it…"_  Eren signed, barely having the strength to lift his hands.

"What did you say before?" Levi asked him, truly not remembering what he could have said or done.

" _When I said I… That I…"_ Eren's blush darkened as he sat up, eyes downcast like he had, or was about to do something wrong. "Levy… I-I love you…"

Oh, so that's what he had meant.

Levi wanted to ignore it, but he simply couldn't. The strange fluttering over his heart was just butterflies, and he knew that. He had simply been putting it off and denying it as something else.

Why deny it though? Hadn't he already decided himself that it was stupid to put this off any longer?

"Oh yeah…?" Levi asked with a slight challenging inflection in his tone. He sat up, forcing Eren up until the two of them were sitting up straight, and Levi's leg  _ached_. All of this was only going to make it worse, and no doubt he'd be paying a visit to the hospital tomorrow, but for now, he would just ignore it like he did before.

"Mhm…" Eren hummed and nodded his head, not sure what to make of the odd expression on the older man's face.

"I love you too," Levi said without any worries, his fingers and arms moving to show his meaning in hopes that his full affection could be showed through it.

Eren's eyes went wide, for a moment startled. It was the dark, right? That was why he read it wrong? No, that wasn't it. Levi wouldn't lie or joke about stuff like that.

So it was the truth.

"Really…?" Eren asked, the smile of his face suddenly splitting his cheeks.

"Read my lips," The man joked, but he leaned in for a kiss before Eren could respond with something as equally sarcastic.

The kiss was so sweet. So tender and pure. There was nothing that could compare to it, besides another one. However, that was the only kissed they shared.

When Levi pulled back to look at him, he was expecting another smile. He was expecting big eyes to be on him lovingly and imploringly like they always were, but they weren't.

Instead, those big eyes were red and crying, tears dripping down Eren's cheeks and landing between their bodies. He looked shocked. He looked upset. He looked everything but happy, and that wasn't what Levi wanted.

"What's wrong?" Levi asked him and touched his cheek. Eren sat back on his butt and rubbed away at his face, trying to rid himself of the embarrassing tears that didn't seem to want to stop, even when he tried willing them away. "Eren…?"

"I hate this…" Eren whispered, his voice shaking with his wavering breaths.

"Hate what? What's wrong, Eren?"

"I want to hear you say you love me, not read it!" Eren croaked, surprising the older man.

Throughout their whole relationship, he'd never once heard Eren speak so clearly. He'd said smaller things, smaller thing he knew he could say without totally messing up, but he had never spoken such a full sentence, let alone say it without any complications. The man didn't know Eren could do it, or at least he didn't know he would try, but it was surprising nonetheless.

"Oh…"

What was he supposed to say to that? There was nothing he could say to reassure Eren, nothing he could do to help him. He knew Eren was always uncomfortable when it came to his lack of hearing, but he never really liked bringing it up himself. This was the first time he had without really being prompted for it, and now he was expecting something. An answer? Something to make him more relaxed?

Levi didn't know what to do about it. This was where his realm of expertise stopped, because he had never been in a situation like this. He didn't know what to say that could make this right. He didn't know what to do that could help him besides sit there and hold his hand.

"I know…" Was all he could mumble.

" _I've never heard your voice before, Levi… I can't even guess what it would sound like without it sounding odd in my head… And I just want to hear you say it at least once…"_

"I know…"

"Levy…" Eren began, but he stopped short.

The light outside in the hallway suddenly flickered off, allowing any light within the room to disperse and leave them sitting in a dark abyss. Levi looked towards the clock, wherever that was in the room, but even the neon colored light that showed the time was gone.

"The power must have gone out…" Levi mumbled to himself. Was the storm really that bad outside that it could knock out the power? "Hopefully it comes back on soon. It's going to get cold really fast if not."

In the dark, Levi couldn't make heads or tails of what was what. He didn't know where anything could be unless he felt around for it, and right now, all he could feel was Eren's hands still within his own.

And they were shaking.

Levi lifted a hand and felt along the expanse of Eren's torso, feeling every bit of muscle shaking from under his hand. Within the dark, he could still hear the sniffles from him, higher pitched and more frequent than before. His nails were digging into the palm of Levi's hand while his free hand grasped at something, anything to hold onto.

"Are you okay?" Levi asked, but then remembered that there was no point in it.

That's when it made sense.

Eren was afraid of the dark, wasn't he?

There was no point in it, either speaking or signing, because now Eren wouldn't see or hear either of them. In the dark, Eren wouldn't be able to see his hands signing for him, and without his hearing, per the usual, he wouldn't be able to hear them. In the dark, Eren was left at a serious disadvantage. He couldn't see, couldn't hear, and with his two main senses gone, he wouldn't be able to function alone.

"L-Levy…" Eren's voice shook terribly with his body.

"It's okay," Levi said despite the situation and pulled Eren close. Eren squirmed within his embrace, fear taking over every fiber of his being, but Levi was there to protect him. He'd keep him safe from anything, and he knew that. "I've got you, Eren."

He could feel the tears dripping onto his shoulder and sliding down his back. He could hear the broken sobs come from Eren as he tried to calm down, but it wasn't easy. Even with Levi beside him, knowing Levi wouldn't let anything get to him, old fears were not so easy to let go.

The older man let go of his hand, but only to start searching for something. Either his or Eren's phone was nearby, and one of them could be a light source.

"Levy-!"

"Shh…" Levi hushed against his shoulder. "I've got you. It's okay." He wasn't sure what good it would do, but he hoped it would be enough.

It felt like forever before his hand brushed against an article of clothing, though he couldn't be sure whose it was. He felt along the item until the shape of a phone was present under the fabric. He pulled it out and instantly began pushing buttons, hoping for just a bit of light to calm Eren down. The screen lit up, the familiar background photo proving to him it was his own phone that he was holding. Even though it wasn't much, it was enough to light up just the small space between them.

His poor Eren looked like a mess with the tears staining his skin and his red cheeks and eyes. He winced at the sudden brightness, but knowing there was light was something that instantly helped him breathe.

"Thank you…" Eren breathed softly, his breath fanning across Levi's face. Levi offered up a small smile as he pulled on Eren's arm, prompting him to lay down against the bed. Eren's head hit the deflated pillows softly, his eyes never leaving the older man's as he pulled the blanket up to cover them both. He set the phone down beside their heads, making sure to switch the light on his phone to stay on. It'd burn out his battery, but hopefully the power would come back on soon enough.

Levi laid down beside him, pulling up the sheet to cover his shoulders. He settled, knowing with a strange sense of comfort that Eren was still looking at him, still watching him with that fond expression he had before.

Loving.

"I love you, Levy…" Eren whispered softly, fingers moving under the blanket to find his hand and hold it.

"I love you too…"

Eren's eyes closed, and for a moment, just a moment, he pictured what Levi's voice could sound like. It never seemed to be right in his mind. It never matched, but this was all he could do for now.

It hurt though. It hurt knowing he'd never know. It hurt enough to have one last tear slipping down his cheek.

Levi's free hand moved out from under the blankets to wipe it away with the back of his finger. Eren's eyes opened once more, looking at him through the bright light of his phone before the older man scooted closer to kiss him. It wasn't anything truly special. There was no passion or hunger making the kiss needy, but he swore that there was such a deep meaning behind it that it didn't matter.

At least that was all he could think about as sleep took over his tired senses.


	20. Wake Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys~! So I know I said this would be out last week (I'm one day off fheiwahgfewio), but things came up. AKA my car breaking down, laptop may have a virus, starting full time work. This was finished Thursday, but life is what happens when you're busy making other plans. ^^' Anyway, I hope you enjoy this new chapter! Not much to say on it.
> 
> Except this............... Actually I didn't have anything to say. I'm just drawing attention away from the story to create anticipation, because it'll slowly drive you into madness. :3
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
** **  
** **Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** ****  


* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty: Wake Up**

* * *

Levi couldn't remember a time when he felt like he'd had a good night's sleep. If his memory served him well, and it usually didn't, the last time he felt so well rested was when he was a kid still living in France.

Years and years had gone by since the last time he had opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and relaxed like he was now. It had been a long time since he had bothered a glance at a clock and not groaned at seeing the numbers glowing on the screen. Seeing the sun peeking into the room through the door was actually welcomed for once. Hearing a bustling life outside wasn't as annoying as it usually was.

Was this what it was like to be in a  _"good mood?"_

Levi sighed as he shifted, feeling the warmth of Eren's back pressed firmly against his chest. His arm was probably a better pillow than the ones they had, so Levi didn't say anything or make any complaints about Eren's head tucked away against his forearm, blankets tucked under his chin and self-awareness so far away right now.

He looked so peaceful like this. So cute, adorable, and innocent. Levi was sure he had never thought this way about anyone apart from a few respected people, which begged the question. Just what has this kid done to him?

He hated the idea of soon getting up and moving. They would both have to wake up and go their separate ways soon enough, lest they fear the wrath of his adopted sister. He hated to think that he'd even have to drop him off at home and see him on another day. Soon enough, the store would be closed. Their excuses would be dates, but would Mikasa allow that? She was fine with Eren working, but dating didn't seem to be in her dictionary.

He couldn't really worry about that right now. At least not for the time being. When the time came, it came. There was no stopping it. He'd just have to suck it up.

Or he could just focus on the beautiful brunette still sleeping in a peaceful world.

"Eren," He mused softly and kissed at the crown of his head. Eren didn't budge; not even a little flinch took over on his facial features. He was out cold, and maybe that was for the best. Let him sleep a little longer in a peaceful world. It was probably ten times better in his dreams instead of the living hell they faced in reality.

Levi was careful to lift his arm without jostling the teen awake. He moved his slightly numb limb and carefully set his head back down on his deflated pillow, watching to see any signals that would show the teen waking up. However, he was just as asleep now as he was before. When he was free and sure he couldn't wake him up with a sudden jolt of his body, Levi slowly scooted out of bed, careful not to lift the sheets up high enough to let in the cool air.

Swinging his feet over the edge of the bed, Levi lifted his arms over his head stretched out the slightly stiff muscles in his body, most residing in his lower back. Yeah, he was sore, but not as much as he thought he would be. It wasn't like he couldn't handle a little bit of it either. His back popped in just the right places and it felt good to have his muscles stretching with a light burn. He moved to stand, but it only took a little pressure on his leg to suddenly have him crumbling to the floor.

Levi covered his mouth to muffle the better part of a scream, the pain in his leg surging through his back and the rest of his body. Why he tried to cover it up, he wasn't sure. Eren wouldn't have heard him regardless, but knowing the teen, he'd probably feel the vibrations of it through the bed.

"Fuck..." Levi hissed and grabbed at the side of the desk.

That wasn't good. It wasn't good at all. This wasn't like yesterday when he could put weight on his leg. Now he couldn't put anything on it without feeling like his bones were snapping apart. Something wasn't right in his leg anymore. Whether something was broken or not he didn't know, but he knew he couldn't hide this from Eren.

He'd have to suffer a trip to the hospital and a couple thousand dollars on X-rays, medicine, and treatment. Hell, if this was that bad, he might need physical therapy, and what bad timing it was to need that. He could barely afford the bills he had, and with the reminder of his quick unemployment looming over his head, he knew he'd be in deep shit.

Levi looked over his shoulder to check on Eren, but the teen hadn't moved. Gathering up his strength and enough air in his lungs to hold onto, Levi pulled himself up by the edge of the desk and held his weight against the wooden surface. His leg was already recoiling, and looking down at his leg, he saw that the dark blue and yellow colors that had been there last night had darkened to sickening shades, painful just to even look at.

Whatever he had done was now seriously damaged and possibly infected. This was scary to look at, even for himself. He might even need to go to the emergency room, because who knew how bad this really was? Something could be broken or out of place under his skin and he wouldn't even know it.

He wanted to wait though. He at least needed to wait until Eren was home. He could hold out for another hour or so, couldn't he? He couldn't worry the poor brat after all.

Levi looked hurriedly for his pants, which, to his unfortunate pleasure, were across the room. When had they gotten over there? He used the desk to hobble over to them, and when he got them, he used the edge of the bed to sit down and somehow get them on.

Just the slide of his underwear and pants along his bruised skin hurt. How was he even supposed to drive like this? Eren said he knew how to drive, didn't he?

No, no. Don't worry him. Handle this himself.

Levi got his pants on after a few frantic attempts. His shirt was next, but that wasn't hard at all. The sweater wasn't any problem either. Now where had his phone gone? Last he saw it, he had it as a light source last night when the power had gone out.

The older man was careful to search in the blankets for it. He found it hidden under his pillow, but like his leg, it was dead and useless.

Figures. He had left the light on to help Eren sleep, even though he knew that it would kill the battery. He just hoped there would be some shred of light on his slowly dwindling luck, but he guessed not.

Eren's phone was in his own pants pocket, and the first light of luck shined for him today. Or rather, the light of his phone. It was on with only forty-three percent of its battery life left. That was just enough to contact his siblings and let them know they were alright, and then, if there was an emergency, it was alive for that.

Levi's eyes trailed across the screen, only to notice a new message. His first thought was Mikasa; she was probably losing her mind not hearing from him yet. It wasn't her, however, but Hanji, and the message had been from last night.

_Message from: Hanji_

_Received at: 9:06 p.m._

_"I'm home safe, honey! I sent a message to Levi, but he's not answering his phone, per the usual. Sleep well, and I'll see you at work tomorrow!"_

That was all that had been left from her. Levi rolled his eyes, figuring as much. It wasn't like he could answer her anyway. Not until his phone was plugged in, and lord knows how long that would take.

Levi quickly started searching for Armin's number. He figured it'd be safer to message him, and, if all was well there, the messages would be quick exchanges and that would be it.

That was  _if_  all was well.

It sounded like Eren had never really spent much time away from his family. With the hell he had to go through to get him working? Oh, something told him Eren hadn't spent a night away from them before.

Mikasa must have been losing it, and Armin must have been doing damage control. Armin was a smart kid and he seemed to know how to work her, or at least to calm her down. If it weren't for him, she'd probably be calling right now, and there would probably be sixty missed calls already.

He had to remember to get Armin something nice sometime soon. It'd only be right.

Levi's eyes found the most recent texts from Armin, eyes looking over the previous sentence from him. Curiosity seemed to peak his interest, however. He wasn't really one to go through personal things; he wasn't a snoop or a child, but whatever it was that had been seen from the corner of his eyes had him scrolling to find the oldest part of Eren and Armin's conversation. Whatever it was pulling at his curiosity had his eyes reading over lines to walls of texts, which had been sent only a few days prior.

_11:34 p.m_

_"It's different. It's scary. I've only ever loved family before in my life. I love you and Mikasa, but this... This isn't the same. It's such a big difference and it's asking for more in a relationship than I know how to handle..."_

_11:35 p.m_

_"I know it's scary. Relationships can be. Someone else suddenly knows us as well as we do and they are there to be in our lives for a majority of the time. It's a big change, even more so the deeper they get into it."_

_11:36 p.m_

_"It can be a good thing though! It can be new and exciting just as much as it is terrifying. It's a whole new experience and you should really try having fun with it while it's there."_

_11:44 p.m_

_"Eren, did you fall asleep?"_

There was a long gap in between Eren's first text message and his newest one. This either indicated that something had pulled his attention away or that he was thinking very hard about the answer.

_11:45 p.m_

_"But I think I'm ready for this..."_

Armin's response came quick.

_11:45 p.m_

_"Ready for it how?_

_11:46 p.m._

_"I mean I constantly begged for something different, something to change my world so it wasn't so boring. In comes Levi out of the blue, knocking me out of a chair and cussing me out. He's apathetic, he's cold, he's distant, he's nothing like me and we don't have a lot in common to begin with..."_

Levi felt his heart sink as he read over the words.

_11:47 p.m._

_"But despite all of that, here I am now saying I'm in love with him. Those rare smiles, the way he holds me and looks at me. I'm constantly lost in his eyes... God, Armin. It sounds like some sappy romance plot and yet I feel like I'm living it. I feel like a girl constantly thinking of him the way I do, but I can't stop! He's always on my mind and being near him isn't just something to occupy my time."_

_11:48 p.m._

_"It isn't enough time for me when I'm with him. I don't want to leave his side anymore..."_

_11:49 p.m_

_"You're right. You do sound like a girl._

_11:49 p.m_

_"Fuck you, Armin."_

_11:50 p.m_

_"Eren. That was a joke... Partially. It's not a bad thing to feel this way. You aren't a girl either. You're just suffering from being in love, and that's not a bad thing. I envy you honestly, Eren_

_11:51 p.m_

" _We don't find true love often, and if you've found it, don't let it go. Don't let go of him if you really feel this way. If you do you'll regret it entirely, so don't get scared away by this."_

_11:51 p.m_

_"How could I? Even when I'm scared and worrying over things, he's right beside me making me forget about it. I don't have time to worry about this when I'm with him."_

_11:51 p.m_

_"Too much information, Eren."_

_11:52 p.m_

_"Shut up, Armin! I didn't mean it like that! I'm still a blushing virgin, if you must know!"_

_11:52 p.m_

_"No, I don-... Wait, seriously? You two haven't done it yet? How...? I've seen the way you make out with him. That's serious sexual tension that can cause an awkward silence in the room."_

_11:53 p.m_

_"So is the way you jack off when you're in the shower, but I don't say anything about that!"_

_11:53 p.m_

_"Eren, I don't-!"_

Levi stopped reading there.

He probably shouldn't have read that last bit. Hell, he shouldn't have read any of it. He shouldn't have been going through Eren's text messages to begin with, but it was just curiosity.

After reading it, however, a lot had been brought to light that he hadn't put into perspective until last night.

Eren really was in love with him. He cared for him far more than Levi thought he did. How could he not see it before? After all, Levi had done this much for him already. While it didn't mean much to him, it must have spoken volumes to the brat.

His brat.

Yeah, Eren was his. In more ways than one. He really did love him, and just as Armin suggested, he wasn't going to let him go.

As if he could. Realizing it now, Levi understood that it wouldn't happen. They'd tried that once already and it hadn't worked out in their best interest. Or maybe that was their best interest. Staying together was all that could happen now.

Saying goodbye was a far cry away.

_'Those rare smiles. The way he holds me and looks at me. I'm constantly lost in his eyes...'_

Levi must have been as distant as Eren spoke of. How could he not notice the way he made Eren feel? He was stupid, or rather, he was just in love and blind.

"I'm a fucking idiot..." Levi called himself. He didn't know why he bothered to whisper; whether Eren was awake or not didn't matter. He wouldn't have heard him anyway.

Levi's fingers grazed the screen to close out Armin's messages. He shouldn't have been looking through them anyway, because the saying curiosity killed the cat applied to this moment. Now he couldn't get the mental imagine of Armin in the shower out of his head.

It made sense, didn't it? He was human after all, another teenage boy among the rest. He worked and had school, and that was a lot of stress. Sometimes a release helped pull tension off of the shoulders, so it wasn't a bad thing...

Yeah, he needed to evacuate the gutter immediately. If he thought too much about it, some images would be permanently ingrained into his head forever, and he didn't want that.

Levi looked through previous messages until he found something from Mikasa. He would just text her, and if she was awake, then it would be a quick reply. If not, and she was a light sleeper, it was just another reason for her to have something against him.

Levi pushed himself against the wall and leaned against his bad leg. It wasn't an unbelievably torturous pain, but it still hurt like hell. The pain was more than likely caused by the excessive use last night, and then leaving it to sit for more than eight hours. If he could get it working, then maybe he could avoid a visit to the hospital.

The older man hobbled his way out of the room and into the store, finding it colder in there than he had in the other room. He wobbled to the windows and looked out past the curtains, finding the roads now clear of snow. His car, however, was buried, and the sidewalks were in no better condition. This wasn't going to be easy to get through, with or without his leg, but he could manage.

With that in mind, Levi began typing out a message for Mikasa.

_Draft_

_Written at: 8:15 a.m_

_"Good morning. This is Levi. Eren's still out cold, but we're both okay. The roads look better, so when he wakes u-"_

Levi's message was suddenly canceled out by an incoming call. Speak of the devil and the devil shall appear, or rather, she would call. Mikasa must have known he was texting or something.

"Hello...?" Levi answered the call.

 _"Hi Levi..."_  That wasn't Mikasa.

"Oh, Armin." Levi said. "I didn't expect you to be on the end of Mikasa's phone."

 _"I couldn't find mine, and hers was right here, so I just used hers for now."_ Armin explained quietly.

"Right. Well I was just about to text her. Eren is still out like a light, so I didn't want to wake him up yet. The roads are looking better though, so when he's up and moving we'll come back."

 _"Sounds good."_  Levi could hear Armin walking around, probably leaving the room so he wouldn't make too much sound.

"Is everything okay there?" He asked.

 _"Yeah. Power went in and out a few times here, but it stayed on for most of the night."_  Armin said, followed by a tired yawn.  _"Thankfully it was on this morning too or we'd be freezing our butts off..."_

"And how's Mikasa doing?"

 _"She's still sleeping. It's not often when Mikasa can sleep in."_ There was a light chuckle in Armin's voice as he spoke.

"I bet. When I bring Eren back, want me to bring anything over for breakfast? There's a fast food place right down the street, and looking at it now..." Levi peeked past the closed curtains again to look outside. The sun was bright and reflecting off of the fresh snow, but the streets were once again busy like the storm had never happened. "It seems they're open."

_"You don't have to do that. I wouldn't want you wasting your money on us."_

"It wouldn't be a waste. Besides, it'll save you some effort in cooking."

_"Well... If you really don't mind..."_

"Not at all. Text Eren's phone since mine is dead and put down what you two want for breakfast. I'll go over and get it before he wakes up. I figured he could sleep a little longer."

_"Sure, that'd be great. Thank you, Levi."_

"It's not a problem, Armin. See you guys later."

" _Yep,"_ And with that, the other line lost connection. Levi sighed as he leaned against the wall, eyes staring at the space around him, soon to be empty.

The boxes had already been laid out, books were already being stored, and the shelves were presently growing emptier. Soon enough, it would all be gone. Every bit of his life here, boring memories, but memories nonetheless, would be just that. Memories.

This meant that his time well spent with Eren was soon drawing to a close. It wasn't permanent, but he had grown very fond of the hectic style his life had become since Eren came around. Granted, it was loud and obnoxious mostly because of Hanji, but Eren added what needed to be there to make it enjoyable and less annoying.

What were they going to do? Levi probably could and  _would_  find a job shortly. It would be nothing like this (he wasn't that lucky), but it would be something. If he was even remotely lucky, it'd pay better than what he got now.

What about Eren though? There really weren't many jobs offered to people with a lack of hearing, such as himself. Even while going to college online, while his degree was in business, what could he do with it? Not much when people weren't understanding enough to help him get a job.

No one would go that far for him. People wouldn't pick up sign language, and they wouldn't wait for him to write out his responses in a notebook. They weren't patient enough, and time was money in the adult world. It kept everything moving, so they couldn't have one person slow them down and hold them back.

It was understandable, and yet so unfair. The world was so cruel, and Levi knew it. He just didn't see it how Eren saw it.

This would all be over soon enough. He'd have to figure out a way to see Eren, to help him. He wasn't going to treat him like a charity case (He knew how much Eren detested that), but he wasn't going to let his boyfriend rot away in his room like was before. That wasn't right no matter how one looked at it.

Levi sighed again as he carefully pushed himself off of the wall. There was no use in worrying about it. Things happened and changed against anyone's will. He wasn't the first for it to happen to, and he wouldn't be the last. All he could do was enjoy the time he had with Eren now while he had it, and later down the road, he'd think of something.

He'd gotten this far into this  _"relationship"_  with Eren. He wasn't going to back out now, even if he wanted to.

Just as he began slowly making his way back to the office, the phone in his hand buzzed. He checked it quickly, seeing a text from Mikasa's phone, most likely from Armin, of the things the two of them wanted. Armin knew of the place down the street after visiting the store so many times with Eren, so he was aware of their menu. Levi quietly nodded his head before getting back to the office at his own pace and quietly pulling on his boots.

Before leaving, Levi wrote out a note and set it on the pillow beside Eren's head. He left his phone beside him too, making sure Eren would know where he was going if he woke up before he got back. If there were an emergency, he'd need his phone after all. Of course Levi didn't plan on being gone for that long.

Just before he walked out of the room, Levi turned back to look at the peaceful boy slumbering. He moved back to cover him with the sheet, making sure to tuck him in and keep him as warm as the thin sheet could provide. He kissed his forehead softly, feeling Eren's body shift with a heavy breath, almost as if he were sighing in relief in his sleep. That wasn't a possible thing though, was it?

Levi decided to ignore the idea and left. His leg was finally warming up. The muscles were loosening up from the long night of relaxation, and he found that to be working in his favor. It still hurt like a son of a bitch, but it didn't render him on the ground in pain within seconds.

He could do this. He just needed to work his leg lightly and breathe through the soreness and pain.

After getting outside, Levi saw the snow plows going through the streets again, with the addition of men going by with snow blowers. They were the men who generally did this for the city, so it was a relief to see them making paths in front of his store.

Of course that meant his car was buried in another two feet of snow.

The older man offered up a thanks as he limped past one and down the street to the restaurant. Once inside, he reveled in the heat of the building and the smell of breakfast wafting through the air. It was a nice way to refresh his senses after being stuck in a dusty bookstore for an entire night, though he hoped the smell of sex wasn't too obvious. He dreaded waiting in line, his leg aching and throbbing with each second he stood, and then lurching into a whole new pain as he took a step forward. After ordering what Armin and Mikasa wanted, what he needed (Coffee was a heavenly thing in the morning), and then what he guessed Eren would want, he took a seat at the table. He was grateful when they brought him their breakfast. Obviously they had seen the limp and knew he was in pain, so it was a slight joy to know there was still healthy minds in the world.

That was an extra two dollars in the tip jar.

With hot food in his hands, which felt great against his cold fingertips, Levi made his way back to the store. The man with the snow plow had cleared a better path, so he found himself back into the slightly chilled store faster than the walk it took to get to the restaurant.

By now, his leg was so cold he couldn't really feel the pain anymore. It was freezing out there, and any complaints he had before about it being cold in here; they might as well have been thrown out the window.

The older man set his stuff down on the counter before limping back into the office where the brunette still slept on, hidden under the sheet on the pull out. He leaned against the door frame to give himself and his leg a break, but also to just sit and look at Eren. Maybe this was creepy, and when he thought about it, it would probably creep anyone else out. He was just staring at him after all, but he couldn't help himself. The brunette fast asleep, sheet tucked under his chin and reality miles away.

Honestly, what had Eren done to him?

Levi hated to do this, but Mikasa probably wanted him back within a day. While he didn't want this to end just yet, he feared her wrath if he didn't bring him home soon, and also feared the wrath of another snow storm. While they were supposed to work today, he'd give him the day off to sit at home and relax. He probably needed it.

Levi pushed himself away from the door and used every ounce of being in him not to cringe in pain as he kneeled down beside the pull out. He angled his leg in an odd position, but this was to stretch it out to lessen the pain, and to also release the pressure on it. He needed to make sure he didn't worry Eren, and doing that meant not showing his pain.

"Eren..." He mused as he ran a hand along Eren's shoulder. He fingers trailed up until he could reach bare skin, until he could feel the warmth of his body soaking into his slightly chilled fingers tips. "Come on, Eren. You've got to wake up now." The older man said softly and shook at his shoulder.

There was no response. Levi didn't think he was that heavy of a sleeper, but then he remembered that he'd never actually woken up beside Eren before. He wouldn't know how deep into sleep the brunette could get. That, and Eren couldn't hear.

Wouldn't he notice the movement though?

"Eren, come on. I've got to get you back home before your sister kills me." He said and shook his shoulder again. It didn't even occur to him that he was talking out loud. It was just a reflex, but not even the shaking was waking him up.

No one was that heavy of a sleeper. It didn't matter how little of sleep they had gotten the previous night; no one just slept through that. Maybe Eren's case was different, because he couldn't hear?

No, Eren would have felt it. He was too prone to the sensitivity of everything else to not notice someone shaking him.

So why wasn't he waking up?

"Hey, Eren...!" Levi raised his voice as he shook at his shoulder hard enough to roll his body onto his back. The brunette fell awkwardly against his back, but it was then that Levi noticed how stiff his body was. His heart gave a painful lurch within his chest at the sight of it, of him not waking up, of his body uselessly flopping against the mattress.

Of the blood suddenly seeping past his barely parted lips.

Levi panicked and pushed his fingers into his neck. There was still a pulse, but nothing made sense. If he had a pulse, what was causing this?

What happened to him?

"Eren...!" Levi cried out his name as he picked him up and pulled him into his lap. He didn't even notice the way the movement and weight hurt his leg. All he could focus on was Eren's comatose body laying stiffly against his legs. "Eren, damn it! Wake up!"

The older man shook at his shoulders over and over, but nothing was working. His body was still stiff like rigor mortis had set in, muscles tense, and the blood that had seeped past this lips now dribbled down his chin and onto the mattress below him.

He had no idea what this was. He had no idea how to fix it. He didn't even know where to begin. There was nothing he could do. Nothing at all besides call for an ambulance and hope that whatever this was, whatever was happening to him, didn't kill him.

"Please, please wake up..." Levi pleaded in a shaky voice, his fingers trembling as he dialed nine-one-one into Eren's phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha! I still have some tricks up my sleeves for this story! *Rolls up my sleeves and the tricks fall out* Gah! No! Don't look at the tricks!


	21. Hospitalized

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm quiet eager for some of the more recent chapters. Probably because a lot of this was written months to half a year ago when the story started. It was all based around the older (Very old) writing. I'm just glad to get it out of the way. ^^ Anyway, time for some answers... But then more questions! It's never ending~! But we're about to get some rhythm going here soon. Let's kick it into gear with this story! Don't give up on me yet!
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the day (I really am running out of these): Coma
> 
> By: B.A.P.

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty One: Hospitalized**

* * *

Levi hated hospitals. He always had. He'd spent way too much time in them during his years in college, and being here now brought up bad memories. It made his stomach twist with knots and roll like he was going to vomit. For a while he really thought he was going to, but he was surprised he hadn't.

They'd brought Eren in twenty minutes ago. They'd taken him into a room for something, but he hadn't caught what it was. Levi really hadn't been paying attention to what the doctors were saying. If they weren't saying he was okay, then everything else just wasn't important.

He had called his siblings after he'd lost sight of Eren. Armin sounded panicked, but he was good at keeping himself relatively calm in this situation. Apparently Mikasa was still sleeping, but Levi didn't stay on the line long enough to hear her reactions to the news. He'd hung up with a short goodbye after Armin said they would be there soon, and that was it.

So now here he was. Sitting on a bench in a hospital hallway all alone. No clues or ideas as to what was wrong with Eren. Feeling utterly hopeless.

He hated this. He really did.

"Levi...!" Levi's head darted up at the sound of that all too familiar voice. He looked over to the entry way, seeing Armin and Mikasa running in. It seemed Armin had noticed him first, leaving a frazzled Mikasa to just follow along. The poor thing wasn't even out of her pajamas yet, the light make up from yesterday running under her eyes and her hair in tangles. She looked like a mess, but that was to be understood.

"Hey..." Levi pushed himself up onto his legs, his injured one now hurting once more after the strain of this morning. He leaned himself against the wall as the two made their way over to him, ready to fill them in on what was happening.

Of course he didn't have much to say. All he could say was that he woke up and Eren didn't, but he didn't get the chance.

Levi had dealt with his fair share of fights in the past, but not once had he ever been punched in the face by a girl that felt like the force of another car hitting him. It wasn't a very light punch either, sending him onto his ass on the floor with what he could instantly recognize as a bloody nose.

"You bastard!" He vaguely heard the teenager scream at him before Armin was there to save the day.

"Mikasa! Stop it!"

Levi sat himself up quickly and pushed himself back in case the girl lashed out again, but he saw the blonde holding her back. It didn't stop Mikasa from trying, however. She was a rage not to be messed with, and if Levi thought she had been angry before, he hadn't seen anything yet.

"What did you do to him? You fucker! I'll kill you!"

"Stop it, Mikasa! You're going to get arrested!" Armin reminded her as he pulled her away from the older man still sitting on his butt.

"I hope you rot in hell, you pedophile!" Mikasa continued to yell with little disregard to what Armin was saying. It wasn't until a doctor suddenly came out of the room Eren was in that the situation seemed to diffuse, and it was only because he really could call the authorities on her.

"What is going on out here?" He asked in a booming voice that had the two teenagers recoiling.

"W-We're sorry." Armin apologized for her. "There was just a misunderstanding."

"A misunderstanding doesn't make up for the amount of yelling and violence going on out here." The man reprimanded them. Armin seemed to be taking the punishment for her, but the man standing in front of them was no wuss puss. He made the connection quickly enough when he saw the blood on Mikasa's knuckles that matched the blood dripping down Levi's face. "Clean yourselves up. You're in a hospital."

"Yes sir..." Mikasa uttered in obedience. Levi stood up, albeit woozy from the sudden loss of blood. He had nothing besides his hand to cover his nose, but within seconds, a nurse who had overheard and seen the fight came over with some towels for him to blot his nose with.

"We're terribly sorry, sir. We're just worried about our brother." Armin told the man as the two of them went about cleaning themselves up, like the doctor told them to do.

"Your Eren's doctor, right?" Levi asked, his voice strained from the blood trying to make its way down his throat. "Is his okay?"

"He's fine." The man assured them.

"What happened then?" Levi asked. "What the fuck happened to him?"

"Well when he woke up, Eren had no recollection of what happened. He's got all the obvious signs of a seizure."

"A seizure?"

"Yes. He's still in a bit of a Postictal state, but otherwise he's fine."

"What's that?" Armin asked.

"It's kind of like being in shock. He can hear you, or in his case  _understand_  you, and can respond with a shake or nod of the head, but he can't speak, and he's not going to remember it in ten minutes when he really wakes up." The doctor explained.

"So he's going to be okay then?" Levi questioned him quickly. "I mean, what about the blood in his mouth?"

"When someone has a seizure, it's not a surprise when all of the muscles are reacting at once. The tongue is one of them, and unfortunately his tongue got stuck in between his teeth. It was only a small bite though. He should consider himself lucky he didn't bite it off like other people do."

"Why didn't he wake up when I shook him then?"

"There's some time in between a seizure and waking up where a person won't really respond. My guess is that it happened while he was sleeping and his body just kept on sleeping. It's not an uncommon thing."

Levi sighed heavily.

So it was only a seizure. The blood in his mouth had only been him biting at his own tongue, and the doctor was right. He was lucky he didn't bite it off, because Levi had heard horror stories like that. He had heard others where people put their fingers into someone's mouth to keep them from biting at their own tongue, but then they end up losing their fingers in the process.

He was lucky, and Eren was going to be okay. That was all he needed to know.

"Thank God…" He whispered to himself.

"You're Eren's family, correct?" The man asked, but he was obviously skeptical. Mikasa and Armin looked nothing like him.

"Yeah," Armin said. "At least she is. I'm just a family friend."

"I'd like to ask you a question, if you don't mind?" The doctor inquired, to which the two teen's looked at each other and equally agreed. "While looking over his injuries, I noticed Eren's got a chunk of his tongue missing near the right side of his mouth. Has he had a seizure before?"

"Yeah, when he was ten." Mikasa informed him.

"He has?" Levi questioned in surprise.

"Yeah, but the doctors said it was just stressed induced. Eren was going through a lot back then, so it made sense." Armin told him. "That's why he's missing it."

Levi mentally questioned how he could have possibly missed that little fact about Eren. He'd only had his tongue shoved down his throat for half of the night.

"Had Eren been tested for Epilepsy when he was younger?" The doctor asked.

"Yeah, but they said he was fine." Mikasa mumbled.

"So then why did he have one now…?" Armin quietly questioned.

It was a good question indeed. If the first seizure was induced by stress, what had caused this one? Eren was losing his job, sure, but that couldn't put too much pressure on him, could it?

No, the first one was around the time Eren had lost his mother. He never talked about what happened after that, not until he'd turned fifteen. Something had happened, something bad. Something that was enough pressure to send the body reeling out of control.

So what had happened?

"I'd like to send Eren down for an MRI and EEG. I just want to be sure everything's working okay." The doctor explained to them.

"I-I don't want to sound selfish, but we don't have any insurance. How much is that going to cost?" Mikasa asked with a deep frown.

"It's going to be a few thousand." The doctor admitted, knowing how hard that was to hear as a teenager.

"Shit…" She cursed.

"We're going to have to pull money from savings, aren't we?" Armin asked.

"We've got no other choice." Mikasa shrugged her shoulders. "So much for vacation."

"You guys were planning a vacation?" Levi piped up.

"We were, but… Well, we wanted to surprise Eren for his twentieth birthday by getting tickets out of the country. We thought it'd be a great gift, but it looks like that'll have to be put on hold for a bit." The blonde weakly stated.

"Eren's health comes first. Money is money and it'll be there tomorrow. We just have to wait a bit longer."

Levi hated to hear them talking like this. They were nineteen after all. No nineteen year old should be concerning themselves with this kind of trouble, but they had no other choice.

"You're right." Levi said and pulled back the bloody paper towels. His nose had finally stopped bleeding, but that didn't mean he hadn't been left dizzy. "Eren's health comes first. The gesture is still there though, and you can surprise him on another day. It might just not be as soon."

He didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but he had no other choice. A vacation could and  _would_  come, even if he had to pay for it himself. It would just be later. Life was what happened when one was busy making other plans, and unfortunately for them, life wanted to remind them that it was still around.

Eren was still around too. He was still there and alive, and that was all he could ask for.

"… You said Eren is awake?" Armin asked quite suddenly, obviously diverting the attention from the slowly growing tension.

"More or less. He's probably still a little out of it, but you can go see him." The doctor told them.

Without another confirmation, the three of them walked into the room the man had come from.

Yeah, Levi really hated hospitals for this exact reason.

He hated seeing Eren in a hospital bed, an IV in his arm and looking as pale as death. He hated seeing this fogged over look in his normally brilliant green eyes, and he hated how sick Eren looked.

He really hated hospitals.

"Eren," Armin spoke softly as the three of them walked up to his bed. Eren's hazy eyes looked over to them, seemingly confused by them and their surroundings as he tried to put two and two together. He opened his mouth to speak, but motor function didn't seem to be a thing that had returned to him just yet.

"Hi, Eren…" Mikasa said and signed as she sat down on the left hand side of his bed. Armin stood beside her, a weak smile on his face.

" _Hi…"_  His fingers signed for him.

"How are you feeling?" Armin asked him.

" _Really sore… What's going on?"_  Eren must not have remembered that what had happened had already been told to him. He must have been fully awake by now.

"Eren… You had a seizure in your sleep." Mikasa admitted to him like she was at fault and placed a hand over his forehead. She could feel just the lightest bit of sweat on his clammy skin, her lips pulling into a terrible frown at the feeling of it.

" _I did…?"_

"Yeah, but you're okay." She assured him. "The doctor said he wants to give you a couple of tests to make sure everything is okay in that empty head of yours, but he said you're fine nonetheless." She tried to joke, but it wasn't easy.

Something told Levi that she wasn't a fan of hospitals either.

" _Can we afford that?"_ Eren asked, a sigh leaving him. Mikasa and Armin shared a similar look, as if quietly making out the answer between themselves before Armin spoke for her.

"We can handle it." His fingers hesitated.

"Don't even worry about that, Eren. Let's worry about the hospital food first." His sister rubbed at his arm, ignoring the frown that formed on his face. That was probably his only way of disagreeing with the idea.

" _Levi…"_  Eren signed when his eyes caught the older man's gaze from across the room. Levi hadn't been paying much attention to their conversation. He'd only been looking at the brunette, eyes looking over his seemingly fragile form and assuring himself that he was alive and safe. He was okay, and yet he couldn't shake this terrible feeling in his stomach. It was a terrible feeling that just wouldn't go away.

However, when he saw Eren sign his name, his thoughts and worries seemed to vanish. They were replaced with him, only him, and that was all he needed.

"Hey brat…" Levi signed and did his best to disguise the limp in his leg. He hobbled his way slowly over to the bed and sat on the edge, mindful of his leg, so he could kiss Eren's forehead.

No, he didn't care that Mikasa and Armin saw this. She'd already hit him once today, so he was feeling a bit positive that she wouldn't do it again.

"Levy…" Eren managed to croak.

"Don't talk. Just relax, okay…?"

" _I feel like I have cotton in my mouth…"_ Eren signed and frowned.

"You probably do. You bit your tongue while you were out of it." Armin pointed out.

" _Again…? Am I missing another piece?"_

"No, you're good." Levi told him and leaned against him.

Curiosity seemed to be getting the better of him lately. He couldn't stop wondering what it looked like now. Was it a very obvious space missing from his tongue, or was it not that noticeable?

His curiosity was going to get him killed. It really was.

Eren poked a finger into his mouth and pulled, finding the piece of cotton he'd noticed sticking to the end of his finger. It wasn't very bloody, though he figured he'd bled enough before this. If it was anything like last time, he'd probably bled across town on the way to the hospital, but that was last time. It didn't seem to hurt as much this time, but he wasn't too sure if that was the injury or the medication.

Mikasa huffed before flicking Eren's forehead.

"Ouch," Eren whined and pressed his hand into his head, feeling the sting from the simple flick.

"You're grounded for making me worry like that," She signed to him, her face morphing to one of displeasure.

 _"For how long?"_ Eren asked.

"An eternity." She answered.

 _"Wow, my longest sentencing yet."_ Eren smiled bitterly as he leaned into Levi's shoulder, feeling the warmth of his body through his sweater.

"We're about to be jobless soon. You can spend some of that time with me." Levi said while his fingers worked to keep up with his words. He acted like he didn't hear the way Mikasa clicked her tongue, but it wasn't easy.

" _I'm about to be jobless. You still have a shot at something."_ Eren retorted, but he sighed heavily. He knew it was true, but he didn't feel the need to start up a conversation that didn't need to be there.

Levi seemed to notice his take on the idea as well. He knew it was a slip of the tongue, or rather, his fingers, but he also knew that Eren didn't mean to start anything with it.

"Speaking of jobs…" He mumbled to himself before looking over to Armin. "Armin, isn't your interview with Erwin soon?" He asked.

Armin seemed a little confused by the statement, but after a few seconds of letting the information process in his head, his eyes widened. He frantically pulled his phone from his pocket, looking for the time to see how much time he had between his interview and now.

It wasn't good.

"Crap! My interview is in fifteen minutes!"

"I'll drive you," Mikasa told him and stood up.

"I-I'm not ready though! I haven't showered, brushed my teeth, or even eaten-!"

"Armin, calm down." Levi said and lifted a hand. "Give me your phone and I'll give you Erwin's number. Just call him and tell him the situation. He'll understand."

"A-Are you sure?" Armin asked, obviously very upset by this.

"Of course. Shit happens and he knows it. He's not the type of person to get mad about something like this. Just explain everything to him and you'll be fine." Levi quickly dialed Erwin's number into his phone, not sparing a moment to hit the call button before handing it back to him. Armin nodded his head in a panicked way before walking out of the room to take the call.

That just left Levi with Mikasa and Eren.

"Levy…" Eren mumbled softly. Levi looked down to him to question him, but he had a very odd look in his eyes that had his previous question dying on his tongue.

"Hm…?" Levi questioned, knowing Eren would feel it.

" _Why do you have blood on your lip?"_  Eren asked and raised his hand to touch it. Levi pulled his head back to avoid him and lifted his hand up to wipe away the access blood now dried on his lips.

He'd forgotten what had happened before. He had forgotten about his bloody nose and who had caused it. He had also forgotten about the balled up paper towel in his hand still drenched in his blood. He'd been hiding it from Eren, but the moment he wiped at his lips, Eren caught sight of the red liquid staining his skin.

"Levy, what happened?" The brunette asked out loud. Levi looked over to Mikasa quickly, wondering if she was going to admit to her faults, but the teen looked away in guilt.

"I uh… Walked into a glass door on the way in. That glass is fucking spotless, you know? I thought the door was open and I didn't even see it." Levi lied as he looked for a trashcan to throw away the useless towel. Eren didn't seem to buy his lie for a moment, having noticed the odd exchange in stares between the two before he spoke. Eren looked over to his sister with a glare, but when she couldn't meet his eyes, he seemed to put two and two together.

" _Mikasa, what did you do?"_  He asked with anger.

"… It was an accident." She uttered, her fingers barely moving.

" _You hit him?"_

"I told her to, Eren." Levi shook at Eren's free arm so he would get his attention before signing.

"What…?" The teen asked incredulously.  _"Why would you ask that of her?"_

"Well… When you were out of it, I was a little freaked out. I asked her to hit me to see if that would wake me up, but… You sister hits harder than I excepted." Well, the last part was true. Mikasa hit far harder than he previously assumed.

He actually thought he'd prefer getting hit by the car than getting hit by her again.

"Nothing is broken though. It was just a little bloody nose." Levi assured him.

" _But you shouldn't have done it."_ Eren reprimanded her when he looked her way.  _"He's already got enough problems with his leg."_

"His leg…?" She asked.

" _When he got hit by the car last night, it really messed his leg up."_

"It's fine…" Levi groaned, but he didn't sign it. He was only mentioning it in passing for the girl.

" _How is it today, Levi? Is it any better?"_  Eren asked with one of those looks that the older man could not pass up.

"It's fine. It's feeling much better today." Whatever it was in his expression or signing didn't seem to assure Eren correctly. Maybe Eren was really that good at reading people, because he still didn't believe it.

In that moment, Eren let his hand wander to his leg and pushed his fingers into it. Levi bent over in pain and hissed, his hand grabbing at the teen's wrist and pulling it away, but it was too late. The damage had been done, and Eren had figured out the truth all on his own.

" _Mikasa, something was wrong with his leg yesterday, and it's gotten worse. Could you look at it?"_  Eren asked her.

"What do you mean look at it? She doesn't need to be looking anywhere down there." Levi growled, but his words fell on deaf ears from both parties. Mikasa left her side of the bed to walk up to the older man, who continuously glared at her. He was hoping she'd take the hint, but apparently that wasn't happening. "Don't you dare."

"If it's that bad someone needs to look at it." She said without a hint of concern in her voice. In fact, there wasn't much there in her tone besides a smidge of annoyance.

"Someone other than you-!" Mikasa grabbed at Levi's belt and pulled at the buckle before he could finish his sentence. The man instantly slapped her hands away, but before he could move from the bed, Eren grabbed at Levi's waist from behind and pulled him down onto the bed. "E-Eren!"

"Hold still!" Eren told him.

"Let me go!" Levi kicked out his leg to keep the girl from doing anything more, but this situation was out of control. Eren may have been complaining that he was sore, but he seemed fine enough to use all of this strength (Where did it even come from?) to hold him down.

"Uhm…"

The three of them suddenly stopped, and Eren only did it because the others did. The three of them seemed to grasp the situation quickly enough, all of them looking over to the doorway.

Of course Armin showed up at the wrong time. Of course he came in to this odd situation. Armin was still a very dangerous person after all. A dangerous person with a  _bad_  sense of timing.

"Tell them to fucking let me go!" Levi barked at him and kicked his leg again, but Mikasa grabbed it before he could do any harm.

"Armin, Eren said that he's got an injury on his leg. I'll hold him down if you look at it." Mikasa told him. Armin still seemed dazed by what he was seeing, but nonetheless he tucked his phone back into his pocket and walked back over to the bed.

"You can't be serious?" Levi asked in amazement.

"Where is it?" Armin questioned and signed to Eren.

" _On his upper thigh."_  He answered and held tight.

"I'm seriously questioning my relationship with you right now." Levi growled back at Eren, but none of it was caught. Mikasa grabbed at both of Levi's legs and held them tight. Too tight. The older man growled once more and jerked his injured leg back some, at least enough to where she wasn't holding the inflicted areas.

"I can see where it is just by that." Armin said. His eyes were keen on picking up the subtle hints of pain from the man, and seeing his leg jerk back was enough to have his evidence.

"God fucking damn it…" Levi groaned and leaned his head back into Eren's shoulder, feeling Armin undo the belt of his pants and pull them down. The fabric brushed against the bruised skin in a way that had his skin crawling before the two teens both gasped in surprise. They weren't expecting to see the damage left behind, but they hadn't had a good grasp on the previous situation either.

Now they knew.

"Holy shit…" Mikasa mumbled. Eren looked past him to the injury, and he too was surprised. It hadn't looked like that last night. It was nowhere near as bad as it was right now. The bruise wasn't that long or dark, and the skin wasn't as risen as it was last night. It hadn't been the lighting either.

It had just gotten worse.

"Levy…!" Eren whined and released the older man. Levi sat up quickly and pulled his pants back up. He didn't even spare a glance at the three of them as he did up his belt.

"Levi, you need to have a doctor look at that." Armin told him.

"I'm fine."

"That's not fine, Levi! Something could be broken under there!" The blonde pointed out. "You need to get some x-rays or something, because something isn't right."

"I don't have the money for that, Arlert."

"And we don't have the money for this, but we can make it work." Armin retorted. "You have to for Eren's sake. Didn't you say so yourself that health comes first?"

"That was for Eren," Levi brushed off his own comment.

"And if you want to keep it for Eren, then go do something about that." The blonde said in a stern tone. Levi scoffed before limping away from the bed, shoving past him and Mikasa to get away.

"Fine. I'll do it." He growled and left the room. Eren was left utterly confused. He couldn't follow what they were saying by lip reading, and none of them had been signing. Whatever had been said had left him angry though. That was all he knew.

"Armin…?" Eren asked.

"It's alright. He's just going to have his leg looked at." Armin assured the brunette, but Eren didn't seem convinced. "A-Anyway, Erwin said he'd reschedule the interview." Armin was desperate to change the subject, moving it away from Levi and towards something different, something better and a little more relieving.

"That's good…" Eren muttered, his brows still furrowed in concern.

"He moved it to Wednesday. Since I have earlier classes, it works out for both of us." Armin continued on, sitting down on the edge of the bed in hopes that he could ease the tension to something else.

He didn't realize that it wasn't from Eren, however, but Mikasa. He'd been so worried about Eren and his well-being that he forgot Mikasa was still standing by, but she didn't say anything. She'd been too busy watching the older man leave in a huff.

She had heard from him yesterday about the car incident. She knew that the older man had gotten hit in Eren's place, but she didn't know how bad the damage was. From what he said, he made it out to be some simple little nick, but that wasn't the case at all. The injury to his leg looked extensive. It looked bad, like something really was broken, and what if it was?

Why had Levi gone so far to do that for her brother?


	22. Apology Accepted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to take a moment to thank the person who left a review on AO3 giving this fic a happy birthday! It's been a year since I first posted this, and I'm so happy to see how much it's grown and how I've gotten to talk to such awesome people from it. :) I don't talk on FF as much, just because the messaging system isn't easy, but I do with AO3 and I try there as well (I really suck at responding). You people are all so awesome and I want to thank you all for such awesome responses to my slow, fluffy fic baby. :3 I also want to apologize for the gap in updates. I've been moving and working full time, so it's been a little tiring. I'm back though, and I plan to work hard!
> 
> Incoming for the countdown to the final chapter is underway!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty Two: Apology Accepted**

* * *

Mikasa had been standing outside Eren's hospital room when Levi returned from his x-rays. It'd been a long hour and a half waiting for Eren to be taken in for his EEG, leaving her a mess of inner turmoil. She couldn't sit still, couldn't think or focus on their conversation, and more importantly, it  _showed_. She couldn't be like that in front of Eren, not if it meant keeping him relaxed, so she left the room to calm down.

She'd been watching her brother and Armin sign back and forth endlessly to each other through the hospital window, eyes on them carefully through the curtains. They weren't talking about anything inappropriate or bad, just their usual boy talk that she could never make sense of. Boy talk was another language entirely. She had seen him return through the reflection in the glass, eyes quickly darting over to look at him properly. He hadn't seemed to notice her until she turned back to look at him. Then and only then, when he felt a cold gaze on his form burning holes into his head, he looked her way.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked her as he limped the rest of the way over to her side, to the window where he could look over Eren.

"What's going on with your leg?" She asked quietly, her voice apathetic.

"Ah, well the doctor said I've got a hairline fracture in my femur. She also said that I have a loose kneecap, but that isn't from the car. Apparently they're just like that." Levi looked down at his leg and wiggled it a bit. "She gave me a prescription for some medicine I can't afford, but that's all that can be done. I just have to stay off of it as much as I can and let it rest."

"And that's it?" She asked coldly as she turned from the window.

"The doctor said she can't do anything about my complex personality. Sorry for the terrible news." Levi retorted and looked into the room. "What about him? Has he gotten his tests yet?"

"No, not yet," She shook her head as she looked to her siblings. They looked so calm and happy, so relaxed. Not a care in the world. That was how it was always supposed to be.

"Did they say how long it would be?" Levi asked. Mikasa's eyes trailed from the figure of her younger brother lying in a hospital bed to Levi. She looked at him, watching the way his breathing seemed off, or the way his eyes looked tinted, like he was about to cry. He wasn't one to cry, but it was just her take on the look within his eyes.

She noticed the subtle shake in Levi's hands as he kept them against the glass, and the need to speak, the questions bubbling up inside of her threatening to escape, was getting worse. She couldn't keep quiet any longer.

"... What have you been doing with my brother?" She asked quietly. Levi's shaking seemed to subside as he looked up at her, as if the question was just that much of a shock to him.

"What...?"

"Every time Eren comes home, it's Levi  _this_  and Levi  _that_..." His sister began. "And he says you're just friends, but I know when Eren lies; his ears turn red when he lies..."

"What's your point?" Levi asked, using a tone of annoyance to prove his irritation. Why did she feel the need to question every little thing about him and their relationship, and at a time and place that was so wrong? They'd already caused enough trouble today. It didn't need to continue.

"Is there something more to this, that...  _You_?" She asked. "Are you sleeping with him?"

Levi's first mistake was looking away. He looked back into the room where Eren was, his hands clenched tightly into fists against the glass. His second mistake was actually taking a moment to answer her.

"... I don't see why you need to know that." He mumbled under his breath, but not so quiet that she didn't hear him.

"You are..." The answer was clear to her. He didn't need to say it, write it out, or even sign it for her to figure it out. "Look, I don't know what kind of game you're trying to pull here, but Eren has feelings. I'll put you in this hospital myself, and I don't care if that lands me in jail. I won't let him get hurt by you." She warned.

"What makes you think I'm trying to hurt him?" Levi asked, finally stepping away from the glass. "Why can't you think that maybe I actually care for him?"

"Because he's  _him_ , and you're  _you_. Because you're in your thirties and don't seem interested in anyone your age." She accused. "Because you seem like the type of person who doesn't have interest in relationships at all."

"You think I wanted to fall for a kid? You think I wanted to feel the way I feel about some nineteen year old? Well I don't!" Levi's voice rose with anger. "I don't want these feelings, and I'm fully aware of how it looks to the rest of the damn world, but it's too late for me..."

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying you won't let him go?" Mikasa questioned and stepped up to him.

"It'd be better for Eren if he did go. He doesn't need to be held down by someone like me,  _especially me_ , but I don't want him to. He's young and has a long future ahead of him, and someone like me wouldn't help him in that life. If he leaves then I'll let him, but I don't want him to go."

"You aren't making any sense!" She barked at him. "Eren is young, so of course he won't leave!"

"You keep treating him like he is, but you don't actually see how old Eren really is!" Levi knew he was pushing his boundaries, but it needed to be said. He was tired of Eren being treated this way by none other than his sister. She needed to hear it whether she wanted to or not.

"Shut up..."

"Eren is nineteen! He wants to go out like any other teenager! He wants to go out and shop for groceries or buy some stupid shit a kid like him would want, but you won't even let him out of the house!"

"Stop it..."

"Eren wants to be treated like he isn't deaf! He wants to be treated like an adult, and if you opened your eyes and see what I've seen, you'd realize he's a lot more mature than you're letting him be!"

"Shut up!" Mikasa's voice splintered, broken apart by tears. It wasn't hard for Levi to realize that his yelling, or maybe it was the truth, had brought her to the fragile edge she'd been avoiding. He stopped, deterred and a little breathless. He couldn't remember the last time he had yelled like that, and now he fully regretted it. His throat ached in ways he hadn't felt in ages.

More so, he was surprised to see her fall apart. Maybe the idea of what she did, what she always did to him, hung over her head more than he realized. Maybe it weighed more on her shoulders than he knew, because, as she fell to the floor, ears covered and head hidden behind her knees, he was reminded that she was still suffering the responsibilities of an adult at only nineteen.

He needed to reprimand himself for this. She was still just a kid, just a baby compared to him. She was still a teenager with too much over her head, too much stress and too much pain of a world she shouldn't have been dealing with right now. She was still a kid, still a girl who was just as fragile as the rest.

He needed to remember that.

"Shut up…" Her whimpers were hidden away by her heavy sleeping pants, her face pressed firmly into her thighs. She was hiding as much as he could, and oh, what a sight that was. Someone as strong, as capable as Mikasa Ackerman in the throes of pain. He couldn't be proud of this.

"Listen…" The older man began and kneeled down, mindful of his leg. Mikasa scooted away and sat back against the wall, head still hidden away. "I didn't mean to upset you like that. I shouldn't be bringing this shit up while we're here, or at all for that matter. So I'm sorry…"

"I know I do it…" She spoke up, her knees lifting for an even tighter grip. She lifted her head and settled her cheek against her knees, eyes red and cheeks damp from tears she tried to hide by means of hiding them behind her bangs. Her black eyes spoke a story of different means entirely, however. "We've had this discussion a million times over, and every time I'm sure I'll never treat him like a child again, but I always do. I've been doing it since we were kids..."

"Old habits die hard, right?" Levi asked as he sat down beside her.

"I can't help it. Ever since the car accident, I'm so afraid I'll lose him. It doesn't help that people are such assholes who have no care in the world for anyone but themselves." Mikasa rubbed at her eyes again, as if something besides her tears was irritating them.

She hadn't bothered crying in front of anyone in a really long time. It had only been once within the past few months, but that was in front of Armin. He was usually good about keeping things like that quiet.

"Car accident...?" Levi questioned, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Was that what killed his mother?"

"Yeah, and what killed his hearing..." Mikasa looked up with her red eyes, seeming confused by his lack of knowledge on the subject. "Didn't... Didn't Eren ever tell you what happened?"

"No, he always said it was just an accident..." Levi couldn't understand it. Why hadn't Eren told him? Come to think of it, why hadn't Eren told him anything about his past? They were pretty far into their relationship, and while Levi hadn't said or asked much on the subject matter, he would have thought it would come about relatively soon.

"Figures... Eren doesn't like talking about it."

"What happened...?" Levi asked her.

"If he hasn't said anything yet, I think it's best if it comes from him. He wouldn't be happy if I talked about it with you, and he has his reasons for holding it back, so..." The teen readjusted her position on the floor to something more comfortable, more relaxed. "It's better to talk to him about it."

"Right..." Levi wouldn't push her for the answers.

"... I-I'm sorry, by the way." She abruptly said. "For throwing a punch at you, and... For everything else."

"As you should be." Levi stated. "But I get it."

"I'm protective of him. I go overboard and I know it, but that didn't make hitting you right... Or calling you a pedophile." She flushed and rubbed at the back of her neck. "I was really freaked out when Armin said you guys were at the hospital. I got scared and I overreacted."

"I'd like to point out that I'm the one who couldn't wake him up." The older man stated bluntly. "Your apology is accepted though. I was scared this morning too, and I'm not too fond of hospitals, so I wasn't in the best of moods either."

"Why's that?"

"... My sister used to be very sick. We'd be in and out of here a lot." Levi admitted with hesitancy. He hadn't bothered mentioning this to anyone, but if anyone would understand, it would be Eren's sister.

"Oh..."

"I was pretty protective of her too, so yeah, I know where you're coming from." The older man's head bobbed in agreement a few times before he slowly stood. "And honestly, there's not much you can do to me that hasn't already been thrown my way. I've dealt with it all."

"So you really do get it... I'm sorry."

"I already said your apology was accepted. The only time I was really ever mad at you was when you treated Eren like a child." Levi held out his hand, an offering to help Mikasa onto her feet. "I know you do it out of love though. I can't really blame you."

Mikasa looked down at his hand for a moment, as if contemplating the offer. It was a short moment of questioning before she took it up, more so the gesture behind it than being helped up.

"So, for Eren's sake, can we try to get along?"

"I'd like that..." She answered in a small voice.

"If this seizure was really caused by stress, I think it's best if we try to make friends. It might help him out a little."

"Yeah, I think so too." She agreed and nodded her head. Levi squeezed her hand as a small affirmation just before the door to Eren's room opened up. The two of them looked back and saw Armin standing in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed and expression heavy with concern.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked worriedly. "I heard yelling..."

"It took you that long to respond to our bitch fest?" Levi asked, not intending the sarcasm. It came out regardless of his ideas.

"I didn't want to worry Eren." The blonde explained and leaned against the doorway.

"It's okay out here," Mikasa said and looked back at Levi. "We were just talking about Eren's postponed vacation."

Mikasa was smart, so of course she wasn't going to admit what really happened. Of course she'd execute a flawless lie. However, Armin was smart too. He could see right through the lie the moment she looked away.

It wasn't just Eren who had a tick when he lied. Mikasa had a few ticks to herself when she lied too.

"Alright... Are you coming back in?"

"Just a moment." Levi told him. Mikasa shot him a quick glance, as if to quietly ask why he chose that response. Levi ignored it, however, and waved him off. "We'll be back in, in a moment."

"Okay..." Armin was extremely skeptical, and after what happened earlier, it was easy to tell he didn't want to leave them alone.

"It's alright, Armin." Mikasa assured him. Armin put a smile back on his lips before walking back into his hospital room, acting like nothing was wrong. He didn't want Eren worrying. "What was that for?" The teen asked and turned to Levi.

"If you must know, yes, Eren and I are dating." He told her bluntly. It was like ripping off a band aid, and if she meant what she said earlier, she'd accept this. She would cringe and grind her teeth, but she would accept it regardless.

They needed to make things right for Eren's sake.

"... For how long...?" She asked hesitantly. There was a part of her that was genuinely curious, but another part of her that wasn't. She  _did_  and  _didn't_  want to know.

"Since October... November? It's been a few months." The older man clarified.

"And...?" She wasn't stupid. She knew there was more to this than what he was letting on about.

"... And last night was the first time we slept together."

Just like ripping off a band aid.

Mikasa breathed in deeply, her black eyes looking back into the room to look at her brother. Yeah, even before he admitted to it, she suspected that. She hoped for another answer, but she expected the worst. It wasn't entirely easy to hear either. Her brother, though they weren't related by blood, and younger by a few months, had lost his virginity. He lost it before her to a man in his thirties who was slowly working his way into their lives, whether he meant it or not.

"We haven't done anything before last night though. Some light kissing, but that's it."

"And that's the truth?"

Levi had to take that in for a moment. The only answer he could think up of, which was another question to answer hers, was _'Why would I make that up?'_

"Yes," He said simply. He wasn't going to retort with sarcasm. Mikasa still seemed a little shell shocked, her body still and eyes looking into the room. She didn't seem to have anything in particular in her field of vision; she was just looking at nothing and everything. Her mind was too lost in thought to process anything more.

"… You better not hurt him." She said to him, eyes darting to look at him without moving her head. It was an effective glare. "Eren cares about you. A lot. You're as important to him as we are now, so if you hurt him-"

"Our deal still stands." Levi spoke up. "You have every right to come after me, and I'll make sure it's stated in my will that you shouldn't be charged with my murder." He hoped that the light joke (He was sure she took it serious to some degree) would lessen the tension, but that didn't seem to be right.

"This isn't a joke." She said and quickly stepped up to him. "You've broken his heart once already. If you've come this far, this isn't some light hearted relationship anymore. Take it seriously and take care of him."

That was the last she had to speak of on the subject. She wasn't playing around, but she wasn't going to stay to hear out his answer.

Mikasa walked back into the room, forcing a quick and small smile on her lips to ward off any suspicions. This left Levi alone in the hallway, still taking in and processing her words. They had serious meaning to them, meaning that needed to be taken into consideration, and hadn't he already?

Levi figured it out hours ago that any chances of them separating had dwindled into the single digits. He was in love with him, and that much was obvious. Mikasa was right about this no longer being some small fling. It was the real deal, and real relationships needed to be taken seriously. He knew that already, so he didn't need to be told about it anymore.

"What makes you think I won't…?" He asked quietly, but it wasn't heard by anyone other than himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's a test! Who remembers (if you follow me there) seeing this on tumblr when I posted the first preview of this fanfic?


	23. Truth be Told

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some people are miffed at me for taking so long. I promise the next chapter won't be so long. Finished up moving and what not. ^^' Anyway, I hadn't said anything before, because I didn't want to jinx myself, but it's all set in stone now. I'll be flying out to Japan next month. ^^ That's why I've been working my butt off. There was a post of this on tumblr, but I know some people don't follow me on tumblr, so I'll say it here. ^^ It's just a heads up, and I'll be working hard to get as much as I can out before then. I'm super excited~
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Ehhh... Trigger warnings for mentions of character death. (The precious babies *sniffles*)

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty Three: Truth be Told**

* * *

Levi convinced Armin and Mikasa to have lunch down in the cafeteria while they waited for Eren's testing to finish. It only took half an hour for one of them, but the other needed to be scheduled for another day. So they decided (Levi more so than them) That it would be helpful and beneficial if they came to eat. Levi never did get the chance to give them the food they wanted; he couldn't even remember what he did with it, so this was better than nothing.

Armin could see the way they were acting around each other. He wasn't blind to the situation, but he was a little confused. The older man and his sibling seemed to be walking on water around each other. He knew the ice had always been thin, but they never bothered to tread lightly. This was the first time they were careful as to what they said to each other, what they did around one another.

It was strange. It really was, but if they were willing to work with each other, then he didn't have much of an argument. He only hoped that it would stay this way.

They'd finished relatively fast. None of them had a big appetite at the moment, and knowing Eren was in the middle of a test didn't help either. They got back in time, however, to see him arriving back into his room.

Eren was annoyed, more or less, about the test. He'd been through it once already, but that was when he was younger. He thought it was all over, but this time, they really hoped for it.

" _They gave me that shit that made me feel like I peed myself again."_

"You'd think with advances in technology, they'd have a medicine that wouldn't do that." Mikasa uttered and patted her brother's head. It was a very family like, big sister annoying her little brother type of pat, one that had him pushing her hands away despite the needle in the back of his hand.

Armin was sitting in the chair beside his bed, snickering at their behavior, but also for a bit of Eren's suffering. It wasn't right to laugh at, but the idea that the medication they'd put in him had him sulking like a child was too much of an offer to pass up.

" _It isn't funny, Armin."_ Eren whined. Yeah, he may have been a little disoriented, but he didn't miss the way Armin kept tilting his head to the side to hide his crooked smile.  _"I had to keep checking down there to make sure I really hadn't done it!"_

"I'm not laughing at you, Eren…" Armin said, but paused. "… I'm laughing  _with_  you."

" _I'm not laughing."_  Eren scoffed and crossed an arm over his chest, because his other was currently occupied with an IV.

"How long did the doctor say before we get any results?" Levi spoke up and asked.

" _He said it'd be a while. I don't know how long that is though."_  Eren answered him and leaned back in his bed.

"The last time this happened, I remember it taking a few hours. Maybe four?" Mikasa looked over her shoulder and told him.

"How could it possibly take that long?" Levi questioned with an annoyed tone. "Shouldn't it be obvious if there's something out of place in his head?"

To that, Mikasa shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know the answer to that either. She wished they'd hurry up and give them their answers, because that was all they needed. They just wanted to know what was wrong with him, if anything. If this turned out to be stressed induced like the first one, they'd still have to pay for all of this. There was no going back.

It was a little sad to think that was, wasn't it?

"We just have to wait and find out… I guess…" Mikasa sighed, her shoulders dropping sluggishly. Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance. Not at her or her answers, but the situation. He hated waiting for these answers.

Eren saw his expression and looked over to Armin. He hadn't been able to read their lips, so he was left in the dark as to what they were saying. He knew something was up; it wasn't like the two of them to be so quiet around one another.

"Armin…" Eren mumbled. Armin looked at him, but with a quick wave of Eren's hand, he leaned forward at the motion.

Eren couldn't whisper; that much was a given. He wouldn't hear how loud he was, and he wouldn't know if he was saying anything right. So he needed Armin close, close enough to cover his hands as he signed a few simple words to his blonde friend.

He understood enough. Armin knew that Eren questioned their intentions, and sooner or later he'd want answers. He also knew that Mikasa or Levi wouldn't blatantly explain why they were acting like this, at least not in the same room together and not while they were being watched. Armin knew what was coming.

"Mikasa, do you have money with you?" Armin suddenly asked as Eren leaned back into his bed.

"Just a few dollars. Why?"

"I'm really thirsty. There was a soda machine down the hall, right? Come get something with me."

"… Sure?" Mikasa already didn't seem keen on the idea of leaving Eren behind, but from what she knew, it was only for a few minutes, and only to grab a soda. She didn't know that Armin had other intentions.

"We'll be right back then." Armin said with a smile, something fake to ward off suspicions. He was better at acting like nothing was wrong than his siblings were, at least when he wanted to be.

Levi didn't suspect a thing.

"Could you get me something too?" Levi asked with a passing glance to them. "I'll give you the money back when we're home."

"Don't worry about it," Armin assured, noticing the way Mikasa tried to speak up, but he wouldn't allow it. He was quick to pull her out of the room, making sure they had their privacy without the possibilities of interruptions, because Mikasa was the type of person to do that.

What would happen out there, Eren wasn't sure. He knew Armin would come up with something to keep her at bay, just until they had the chance to talk to one another. He wasn't sure what he'd say, but he was smart. He'd think up of something.

" _So what's going on with you two all of a sudden?"_ Eren asked, his lips forming a pout.

"We're just trying to behave ourselves. We know it upsets you when we argue." Levi signed as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

_"Somehow I can't believe that."_

"That hurts, Eren." Levi sighed as he leaned back into the bedding, his head resting beside Eren's shoulder and their arms touching. He closed his eyes, as if sleep was ready to take over his senses, but he wasn't going to sleep. Sure, he was tired, but there was a side of him that was still wide awake from all that had transpired through the day.

There was no way he'd be able to sleep until he knew that Eren was home safe in his bed.

"Levy..." Eren said quietly. Levi looked up into bright, golden eyes staring down at him. He looked worried in a way, but sad at the same time. It was a very strange expression on his face, one that he had a hard time reading, but he'd be damned if that pout wasn't cute on him.

"Hm...?" He hummed in response. Eren wouldn't have heard it, but it was clear to him regardless.

_"What's really going on?"_

"I already told you it's nothing. We're just trying to play nice."

 _"Mikasa doesn't 'play nice' when it comes to me."_  Eren remarked, his frown deepening.  _"So what did you say?"_

"Not much. She was just making sure I didn't break your heart again." Levi told him, noticing the corrugations between Eren's eyebrows deepening.

 _"When did you ever break my heart?"_  He asked.

"When I first broke up with you." The older man mentioned.

 _"That was her fault!"_  Eren seemed insulted even by the idea of her assumption.  _"Had she not butted in like that, that never would have happened!"_

"Eren, she's your sister. She's just protecting you." Levi spoke sternly, an annoyed expression covering up the calm one.

_"Why are you standing up for her? She's always butting in and-!"_

"Eren, she's family. She's the only family you have too, next to Armin. It's important to love each other and be there for one another."

_"What the hell, Levi? Why are you suddenly taking up the blame for what she did wrong?"_

"Because I've been in her position before, Eren. I've played the annoying big brother a few times, so I know where she comes from and why she does it."

_"... I didn't know you have siblings..."_

Eren seemed taken aback by the admission from the older man. Maybe it was settling in for him that they didn't know everything about each other too. Maybe he understood, and maybe his curiosity was peeked like Levi's had been.

"I only had a little sister. She was..." His fingers paused, his mind reeling through the signs he had learned, but not once had he learned how to say adopted. Technically that wasn't even it, but it was the only way he could think to explain their relationship. "Taken in..."

"Levy..." Eren spoke softly. He knew there was something else, something more he was holding back. He'd been iffy about his past before, but that was months ago. Would he be willing to open up now?  _"What do you mean 'was' taken in?"_

"I mean we brought her into our home and took ca-"

"No, Levy..." The brunette interrupted him.  _"You said was... Did something happen to her?"_

He figured as much. Eren was a naturally curious person, so eventually this would come up. After the first time Eren had asked about something from his past, Levi had snapped at him. He'd been quiet ever since, but he had a right to know. He deserved a proper answer compared to this silence.

"Tell you what," Levi began and shifted to make himself comfortable. If everything worked out the way he wanted it to, they'd be here a while. "I'll tell you about her..."

"Really...?" Eren seemed too happy to hear about that answer.

"If you tell me about your accident." The older man then added in.

Eren's expression quickly melted from one of genuine curiosity to something more of a pale color. He looked mortified within seconds, like he was about to vomit even. Had he pushed too hard already?

"N-No... No Levy..."

"You don't have to, Eren, but you and I both know we have some dark pasts. We've been together long enough for me to feel like you deserve the truth, but I figured you'd want to get some things off your chest as well." Levi explained, eyes never wavering from the teens.

"Oh..." Eren probably wasn't even aware that he made a sound, and if he was, he didn't let on to it. He sat back in his bed, golden eyes looking down at his hands clasped together in his lap. He was squeezing them so tightly that Levi could hear the physical rub of his hands, and for a moment, he feared he was actually going to hurt himself while the needle still sat under his skin.

"Hey..." Levi said softly and touched the back of his hands. The brunette's head darted quickly, as if he hadn't been expecting the action and was truly surprised by it. His expression looked like it was flooded with emotions, feelings he had been trying to hide. Or more so, feelings he had been covering up for years. He was still battling it out to keep them at bay; he didn't want to cry in front of his boyfriend again, but it seemed like the weight on his shoulders was becoming too much pressure to handle. He wasn't going to withstand anything else being added on.

"You don't need to feel pressured into doing this. I'll still tell you what happened to me, and if and whenever you're ready, you can tell me. It doesn't have to be-"

"No, you're right." Eren interrupted him. The older man saw the bob of his Adam's apple as he swallowed hard, trying to keep himself collected for as long as possible.

"If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to."

"N-No," Eren shook his head quickly.  _"I want to. You're right. You deserve to know. After all you've done for me... You deserve to know."_

"Eren-"

 _"I want to say it. It's driving me insane keeping all of his bottled up."_  Eren's fingers began shaking harder the more he signed, his breathing becoming uneven. He was losing his battle.  _"And I don't want to keep secrets from you. I love you and I don't want to hide anything from you."_

"But if it's too much-" Levi tried once more, but Eren stopped him before he could.

"It's not." Eren assured him. Levi sat back, feeling less than proud of himself. He felt like he had pressured him into doing this, and now seeing how hard Eren was fighting made him feel guilty.

He didn't want him looking like this or being this upset. He wanted him happy, but if what Eren said was true, then maybe this would bring him some relief. This could bring him closure, and, like he said, their relationship would be more open and honest.

Levi didn't know when he started caring for those things. Hiding his past was a daily battle that he won many times before, but now he wanted it out and in the open. He wanted to be honest with Eren, and since when had that happened? He really didn't know.

 _"Could you... Get Armin's laptop for me?"_  Eren asked carefully.  _"It's in his bag by the chair."_

"Sure," Levi agreed and sat up from bed to retrieve said object.

He had a feeling he knew what this was. Eren was hoping to type instead of sign. Sure, Eren had stopped using his notebook for some time now, but that didn't mean he was comfortable with everything. If this made it easier to talk about, then so be it.

Besides, Levi's sign language wasn't good enough to keep up with him. He'd gotten much better within the few months he'd been with him, but there were still a lot of things he needed to work on. While he could sign what he needed to say, most of the time his fingers couldn't produce the correct motions. He'd often compensate for something else, but Eren was smart and fast enough to look at his lips as he talked. He knew what he was saying, even when his hands couldn't tell him. This would be far easier to communicate.

Levi pulled Armin's bag up into the chair and looked inside. The blonde had gone home a few hours prior to bring his laptop and some movies as a form of entertainment for them, so it still sat within the bag. Cords bundled up neatly, mouse sitting beside it and turned off, movies packed away in their cases; Armin left nothing out of place.

The older man set up the laptop on his lap after sitting back down beside Eren. He handed it to Eren when it asked for a password, and it was no surprise that the teen knew it. A movie had been left on pause, but Eren ignored it in favor of opening up a notepad to type in.

Yeah, just like he figured.

"So uhm..." Eren sighed as he ran his fingers through his fringe, eyes staring at the screen in discomfort.  _"Where do I start?"_

"How about I start?" Levi asked him and began pulling the laptop back into his lap.

"Ah, b-but I was gonna-"

 _"It's alright, Eren."_  Levi typed out, seeing the way those gold eyes quickly followed the indicator on the screen.  _"I can see how hard this is for you. I can handle it for a few minutes if it helps."_

_"But what about you? Obviously this upsets you too, right?"_

Typical Eren. Always worrying for others instead of himself.

 _"I'm older. I've had time to cope."_  It was a piss poor excuse at best, and they both knew it. Regardless, it was true. He had plenty of time to cope with it. It happened a long time ago, and while it still hurt him, he knew how to handle himself and these upsetting memories from the past.

_"Are you sure? Levi, I don't want you doing anything, because you feel like you have to."_

_"Funny, I was thinking the same thing for you."_  Levi said and huffed with amusement.  _"I'll be okay. If I survive your sister nearly breaking my nose and a car hitting me, I don't think much can hurt me anymore."_

"Yeah, but still..." Eren was still extremely reluctant on the idea of it.

_"It'll be alright. Now... Where should I begin?"_

Truthfully he didn't know where. This was a long ass story with a not so clear beginning and no ending in sight.

 _"You said you had a sister that was taken in..."_  Eren improvised.

Yeah, there sounded like a good idea.

_"Right... So when I was a freshman in college, we had picked up this girl we'd found. She was an abandoned street rat, kind of like us."_

_"Who's us...?"_  Eren leaned his head against the older man's shoulder to put himself into a more comfortable position.

_"At the time, it was just me and my friend, Farlan. He was an engineer major at school, another kid who had been throw away by the world and scrapping to get by."_

_"Where were your parents?"_ The brunette looked up at him and asked.

 _"When I was a child and still living in France, my mother passed away from… A sickness."_ The way Levi wrote that didn't sound right. _"And I never knew my father. I stayed with an uncle of mine until I managed on my own, and by then I had scrapped up enough to get to America... Anyway, Farlan's situation wasn't too close to mine, but enough so that we had something in common."_

Levi's fingers were already aching with the memories. Eren was a natural talker despite his situation, a person who liked detail. He wanted a clear picture in his mind, and he'd ask hundreds of questions to get it.

He would have to type it all out then?

_"And your sister?"_

_"She never said what happened to her. She only said that she was a bum looking for food. Who am I to turn away a little girl? I gave her some food, but she just ended up stuck to me. In a way, she was my little sister, you know?"_

_"Yeah. She's like how Armin is to me, right?"_

_"Exactly. So Isabel stayed with Farlan and I in our dorm for the first few years, without anyone knowing of course, and then we got an apartment later on. That's actually where I met Erwin. Armin's soon-to-be boss."_

_"He was with you in college?"_

_"Yep, studying accounting too. How he ended up where he is now I don't know anymore. Hanji was a childhood friend of his who took to me like Isabel did, but with less of the big bro persona. The two of them were hell bent on us joining some academic club they started up, but to hell with that. I was dealing with other shit at the time, so what was the point?"_

_"What shit?"_

Damn his curiosity.

_"In my senior year... Isabel had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer."_

"C-Cancer...?" Eren asked out loud, not intending to stutter.

_"We hadn't seen any signs of it either. It had been quiet until we got blood work done for her and they found something. By then though it had progressed to other parts of her body."_

"Oh no..."

_"So if you ever wonder why I hated hospitals, well... That's my main reason. Isabel had been in and out of them so frequently that I had grown to hate the sight of them. I hate the smells, I hate how white it is. I hate seeing people hooked up to machines..."_

After typing that out he paused. Levi looked over his shoulder just in time to see the drop in Eren's expression. He knew that Levi had made that connection quickly when he'd seen how bad he looked, and now guilt was building up so fast that it had his breathing strained.

"Hey, it's okay."

"I'm sorry..." The brunette instantly apologized.

_"Eren, there's no way you could have known you would have a seizure. Hell, had you not bitten your tongue, I probably wouldn't have noticed it myself. I probably would have thought you're one hell of a deep sleeper. So don't get upset over that."_

"Yeah, but I-" Levi cut him off quickly with a kiss to his cheek.

 _"No buts. Now let me finish my story."_  The older man reprimanded him, trying not to take pride in the dark flush on Eren's cheeks.  _"By this point, despite what they were doing for her, with all of this chemotherapy and shit, I overheard the doctors saying she wasn't going to make it. They'd given up on her."_

_"Why...? There's always a chance! Had they tried harder, she could have lived!"_

_"Eren, her respiratory system was failing. She couldn't even walk a few steps without getting breathless. Once something is broken, there's no real way to fix it. Had she survived, there would have been no way to help her heal. Even with therapy, she would always be weaker than the rest, and that... I hated thinking that she'd be left behind by the rest of the world."_

_"So that's it?"_

_"You think I didn't try? I tried, Eren. I gave up my savings, I said I'd sell my car if it meant getting her the help she needed. I just wasn't fast enough, and the problem is, is that I made her suffering even worse."_

_"What do you mean?"_

Eren saw the look in Levi's eyes. He looked choked up, as much as a man like him could look like. This was about as much of his pain as he would allow to show, even when he didn't want to. Eyes always spoke the truth though, and maybe he didn't realize it.

_"I wouldn't let her out of the apartment, I wouldn't let her go anywhere. It got to times that I wouldn't let her cook or do laundry. She had no life and I was the reason why."_

_"But you couldn't have known that she wa-"_

_"Why do you think I'm always harping on you to keep your relationship with Mikasa stable?"_  Levi asked him.

The words suddenly clicked in Eren's head. It was like a bucket of ice cold water had been splashed in his face.

This was what Levi had meant before. This is what he was always talking about.

It was because he had lived that mistake.

 _"I take it by the expression on your face that you understand then, yeah?"_  Levi asked without looking at his typing. It was only for a moment before he looked back.  _"The day she died, we were back for another therapy session at the hospital. We'd had... A particularly nasty argument that day about how she didn't have any freedom, and how I explained to her that I was only doing it to protect her... I had only left to let her cool down..."_

_"I'd gone down to the cafeteria, because I thought a half an hour or so would let her calm down, but she... When I got back the doctors were already waiting for me... The cancer had spread to her heart... They said she didn't even last a few minutes after I left..."_

Levi's hands left the keyboard, as if saying he was done explaining the painful experiences he had endured. Eren's eyes were on him now, wide and pleading for something from him. Even if he couldn't hear it, he wanted Levi to say something. Anything, so long as he could say that he was alright.

"Levy..." He spoke softly and touched the man's hand. His fingers were slightly chilled after having been typing for so long.

 _"The trauma I put her through only made her weaker..."_ Levi's fingers began typing again despite Eren holding his hand.  _"Instead of helping her live her last days in happiness, I only made her suffer. I reminded her that she was dying and that there was no way to stop it. I could have made her happy and I made her miserable... The last thing she had ever said to me was that she hated me and that she never wanted to talk to me again... And I never got the chance to apologize..."_

Eren felt his throat clenching.

"Oh, Levy..." He closed his eyes and buried his face into the older man's neck.

Eren's words to his sister came rushing back to him.

_'I hate you!'_

How many times had he hurt Levi? He'd been so busy being angry at Mikasa that he never bothered to stop and think that he was upsetting Levi with the way he talked.

_"I can never take that back, Eren. I can never rewind time and apologize to her. I can never give her the childhood she deserved. That's why family is so important, Eren. That's why I want you to be happy with Armin and Mikasa, especially her. She's all you've got left, and God forbid something happened to her. You have to live with the choices you'll regret the least, because the sad fact is that we are mortal..."_

Levi looked at his boyfriend for a moment, but a moment was long enough to see the tears blurring Eren's vision and dampening his skin.

_"We could die at any time..."_

"I get it..." Eren nodded his head and sniffled, his hands quickly darting up to wipe at his tears.

Levi sighed to himself before setting the laptop aside in favor of pulling the brunette close. The teen fell into his arms and sobbed, his hands holding onto him like a lifeline and nails digging into his back through his sweater.

"I didn't mean to make you cry." Levi said, momentarily forgetting that Eren wouldn't hear him.

"I-I love you, Levy..." Eren rasped, his head digging into his shoulder. All Levi could do for a response was a nod of his head. At least this way Eren would know he heard him.

"I love you too..."

Even if he didn't hear it, it made Levi feel better by saying it. It made him feel more connected, more self-conscious about himself and his boyfriend. It was an odd thing, but it helped to reduce the burn in his eyes.

"W-What about your friend?" Eren asked and sat back. "F-Far..."

He didn't know how to pronounce his name.

"A few weeks after that, the store he worked at was robbed. He was shot point blank just for a few pieces of paper..."

"What the hell...?" Eren uttered weakly and dropped his head. For whatever reason, he seemed more talkative than usual today.

_"His was a quicker death at least. He didn't suffer."_

_"That doesn't matter! How can you just carry this around with you? How can you walk around and pretend that everything is okay?"_

"I do it the same way you do it." Levi stated bluntly, his fingers signing and no longer typing. Eren seemed put off by this statement, as if surprised and insulted all at once. "You've walked around just the same as I have with a secret you've kept hidden from everyone but a select few. You hide your pain like the rest of the world does."

Somehow, the words seemed to spark a fire within him. It was like he was being challenged into something, and like the typical person Eren was, he didn't turn away a challenge.

With tears burning his eyes and a huff of irritation, the brunette pulled the laptop from the older man's lap and into his own. He opened up a new page, to give himself space to work with, but just before his fingers began typing, he hesitated.

He'd been so insistent on trying to prove his point to Levi (He couldn't really figure out what it was) that he'd forgotten momentarily that he was about to admit to something he'd kept secret from everyone but the people who were there. The people he considered friends, people outside of Armin and Mikasa, didn't even know of it. They hadn't been around by the time it happened, so they only knew what Levi had known.

He had been in an accident.

" _I lied to you before."_ He typed out, eyes burning, but focused on the screen. He couldn't bear to look into the older man's eyes, not when he'd made such a terrible mistake and lied to his face. He had to make this right. _"A long time ago, when I told you about us, and Armin… I lied."_

" _What exactly did you lie about?"_ Levi asked with his hands.

" _After my mom passed away, and after my dad left… Armin's parents died in another country, so it was just him and his grandpa, but he took us in any way to keep us out of the foster system. Armin's grandfather fought tooth and nail to get us, but damn it… He passed away two years ago. Mikasa had just turned eighteen, so she was able to keep us."_ Eren's fingers burned with the intentions of keeping this up. He hadn't admitted this to anyone in years. In fact, he hadn't told anyone about this. The only ones who knew of it were Mikasa and Armin themselves. Their close friends knew nothing of it.

Which left them no room to help.

" _I lied about us taking him in. It was him and his grandfather who took us in. I don't know why I said it, I just… I couldn't admit to what happened back then."_

" _And what happened back then, Eren?"_

"…  _When I was nine, we were in a car accident. My mom and I… Mikasa was with us, and our uncle was driving behind us with our new Christmas tree…"_

Levi leaned over and placed his hand on Eren's, just above where the IV went into his skin. He didn't want to hurt him, but he didn't want him upset.

"Don't push yourself." Levi reminded him.

"I'm fine." The brunette spat, but not out of anger. Out of annoyance, yes, but not towards him. It was aimed more for himself.

This shouldn't have been that hard to do, right? If Levi could admit it so easily, then he should have been able to do the same. Yes, Levi had, had longer to process and accept what had happened, but that shouldn't have stopped him from admitting his own tragedies.

" _A deer ran out in front of our car, and my mom swerved out of the way to avoid hitting it. We went into a ditch… I think… And then…"_

And then what…? What had happened next? Now that he realized it, it had been a long time since he bothered remembering any of this, let alone wanting to admit it. The memories had been foggy to begin with, because he remembered seeing the deer. At nine years old, he thought nothing of it besides thinking it was cool. He remembered seeing Carla's hands tighten around the steering wheel, and then everything spun out of control, but then what?

" _I know I hit my head. I had a really nasty concussion, and so did Mikasa, but I… I don't remember what happened after that really. I woke up in the hospital and my hearing was gone."_

" _How did you lose it?"_

" _The doctors said it was from when I hit my head. They said it was temporary and the chances of getting it back were high, but… I was on that very slim chance that it'd never come back. I've waited ten years and it still hasn't come back."_

Eren groaned and covered his head, trying to remember what had happened. Everything was so blurry, leaving questions unanswered. He had remembered at some point, didn't he? He was there. He saw it all happen, and he remembered a few minor things.

" _I remember… Hearing crying. Mikasa was hurt. My mom… She was stuck."_

This was hurting him, and Levi could see it. The way his eyes kept closing, the way his face scrunched up. The memories he had hidden away in the depths of his mind were resurfacing, and it was hurting him both physically and mentally.

" _Yeah, we had gone in the ditch, but we ran into a mountain side. The front of the car was smashed, and my mom's legs were stuck. Mikasa's face had hit the window, so she was bleeding really badly. Hannes… Hannes had come to get us out. He tried getting my mom out, but she said get us out first. So he did, and then…"_

After that…? That was what he didn't want to remember.

"Slow down, Eren…" Levi spoke softly, his fingers barely taking the time to sign for him. Eren shook his head stubbornly.

This wasn't about telling Levi anymore. This was about figuring out for himself.

What had happened that day? He needed to remember.

" _I was still so out of it, so Hannes carried me out while he helped Mikasa walk. I called for my mom, but…"_

"Eren, stop." Levi grabbed at the teen's hands to stop him from going any further, but all he got in response was a slap.

"No! I-I can't remember…" He whined as he held his head.

"Then take a break. Don't push yourself, or you're going to make yourself sick." Levi said and signed, but only moments later did he realize that Eren's eyes were closed.

He was blocking him out.

"Shit… I-I think something fell on the car and crushed her, t-then I was in the hospital. D-Dad was there and then he wasn't." Eren's vocal cords struggled with the excessive use. This was another one of those instances where Levi was surprised to hear him talk so much, and didn't it hurt with his injuries?. "A-And then he abandoned us! Just left us alone!"

His voice broke before he felt the gentle touch of the older man's hand on his cheek. His golden eyes opened up to look at him, to see the gentle but worried expression on his face. Worried for him.

"At least you got to see him."

At the sound of another voice in the room, Levi looked over to the doorway. The sudden motion had Eren following his eyes, finding a very sullen Mikasa and Armin standing by with drinks in their hands. Eren let out a pained sound, as if he hadn't been expecting them there and knew they had heard what he was talking about. How much of it they had heard the two weren't sure, but judging from what Mikasa had said, it was enough to understand the situation at hand.

It was situations like this that Levi felt the most uncomfortable. He hadn't expected them to walk back into the room. He thought Armin would buy them a little more time, but knowing Mikasa, she'd been too impatient to wait any longer.

"Is everything okay…?" Armin asked and signed, already knowing the answer, but he felt the need to question them regardless.

"Yeah," Levi answered without giving it a second thought. He wasn't sure if Eren was willing to admit to his pain around them, and judging by the sound he made, he was right.

"I-I'm okay…" Eren muttered, too startled in his own reactions and the present situation to form a proper response or explanation.

Mikasa and Armin were smart, and they weren't blind. It wasn't hard to see what had happened, and knowing that Eren was struggling again only upset them further.

Mikasa sighed to herself before moving to his side of the bed cautiously, as if she were creeping up on a startled animal. Despite his small protest, she sat beside him and held up her can of soda. An offering for her brother probably; that was all Levi could picture that as.

The two of them shared a look, a look he couldn't quite understand, but it seemed to make sense to them. There was an undeniable trust between the two of them that allowed them to speak without any words. It was a bond between two siblings, one he knew all too well. Even when Mikasa was adopted, the two of them had grown up together and undoubtedly developed something Levi couldn't and wouldn't be able to comprehend. He only knew it was something similar to his and Isabel's relationship, and that was all there was to it.

Eren took the soda from her quietly and nodded his head. What it meant he wasn't sure, but Mikasa wrapped her arms around her brother's shoulders and hid her face away in his neck. She didn't say anything, didn't do anything; she just sat there and kept quiet. All the brunette could do was lean his head against hers and sigh. He looked up to Armin, but the blonde had already made his way over to them and kept quiet.

Levi didn't know what the other two had been through between the time of the accident and now. Armin didn't seem to feel out of place with them, meaning he'd either seen this plenty of times before, or he'd been there.

It would make sense if Eren had bent the truth or lied to him. He'd done it once already, but that was because he couldn't handle talking about it. Would he be more open about everything now that he'd come out with his past?

Truth be told, he didn't think he'd ever know the whole story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> NoIdidn'tjustthrowsomecannonshitinthereyouhavenoproof.


	24. Implants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think I confused a whole bunch of people last week when talking about Japan. I'm not moving there, guys. I'm moving around here in America, but not to there. I'm only visiting next week. ^^' Which, being said, means there may not be an update for a week or two. I'm going to try really hard, but with work picking up finally, it's a little difficult. I'll try though!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty Four: Implants**

* * *

"So it's stress induced?"

"That's what the first test has determined."

It was later into the evening when they'd finally heard from the doctor. Levi had gone to the bathroom at the worst possible time, but Mikasa was outside his hospital room, simply waiting to give him the news.

Eren and Armin were still in the hospital room, laughing up a storm to one of Eren's favorite comedies. With subtitles on, he could follow along with Armin and enjoy himself, any concerns now gone from his mind. He could relax from an already stressful day and take his time to clear his mind of any worries.

"Are you going to continue on with the next test?" Levi was leaning against the wall beside the bench Mikasa sat in. It wasn't the best of his ideas, knowing the weight wasn't good for his leg. However, despite their truce, they still walked a very thin line. The ice was weak and could break at any moment, so it was best he kept his distance.

One little step at a time.

"No," Mikasa took a sip of her soda before continuing. "There's no point to it. He's fine, he's healthy. Waiting lord knows how long for another expensive test isn't worth the time or our sanity."

Levi really did hate hearing her talk like this. She was nineteen. She worked a full time job, had college courses (he'd done that shit once or twice), and had the world crumbling on her shoulders.

She was still a kid. She should have been out partying, being a stupid brat, and making mistakes. This was the time for it after all. She didn't need this stress.

"Right..." The older man wouldn't rock the boat by disagreeing with her.

"And you...?" The teen asked.

"What about me?"

"What about your leg...?" She inquired carefully.

"Like I said, there's not much to do for it besides painkillers. I've gotten all of the paperwork filled out and I finished selling my soul to the devil. Not much else to do besides rest."

"Right..." She agreed quietly.

"All that paperwork and bullshit."

"Mhm..."

After that, a sort of peaceful silence fell over them. Every now and again it'd be interrupted by someone, a doctor or a patient, walking down the halls. They'd wave, say hi, or do nothing but walk right past them. That was fine though. Both of them were the type of people who appreciated a small bit of silence. Between the two of them, it was slightly awkward, but harsh comments and threats against one another's life weren't being made, therefor it was peaceful.

They were making progress. It was a long way to go before they'd get anywhere near a healthy relationship, but they were on mutual grounds. For now that was all that mattered.

"Hey, Levi..." Mikasa piped up, but her voice was still small. Levi had to double take to make sure it was her speaking, and that it was him she was speaking too. Not once had she ever said his name without a 'pipsqueak' or 'pedophile' in lieu of it.

"Yeah...?" He questioned skeptically. There was still a part of him that didn't believe it was her.

"Has Eren ever... Has he ever mentioned implants before?" She asked, dark eyes cast to the floor in deep thought. Or maybe she just didn't feel like looking at him.

"Implants...?"

"Yeah like... Like hearing implants." She paraphrased.

"Hearing aids you mean?" Levi tried to understand.

"No, they're called Cochlear implants. They're put in surgically, and they don't come out."

"I didn't even know that was a thing. What are they exactly?"

"They're sort of like hearing aids, except they aren't for hard of hearing. They're meant for people who can barely hear anything, or for people who can't hear anything at all, like Eren." The teen girl explain, her eyes finally lifting to look at him. She needed to make sure he was telling the truth, and to do that, she needed to look in his eyes.

"No, never heard of it."

"Oh..." To that, she seemed downtrodden.

"Is that something you can get?"

"Well, Eren had brought it up earlier while we were talking to the doctor. We've never heard of it either, but he said it's something Eren can try."

"Really...?" This was news, even to the older man. Never had he thought that Eren could get another chance at hearing, but now the chance was presented to them. It had been right there in front of their faces, but there had to have been a catch. Mikasa wouldn't be so relaxed if there wasn't. "So what's stopping us from doing it right now?"

"They're expensive." She stated bluntly. She must have been waiting for that question. "Like, really expensive. Like a small house expensive, and we don't have any insurance to pay for it."

"That bad...?" Now he realized why she seemed so defeated. He couldn't help feeling the anxiety deflate so fast.

"That would be just for one ear too. The only plus side is that the money covers everything. Physical and speech therapy, the surgery, the implants themselves. Everything."

"So... If money wasn't an issue, Eren could get his hearing back?" Levi asked for confirmation.

"The doctor said there's a small chance it could corrupt any possibilities of getting his hearing back, but the technology for it has grown. The percentages have slimmed down, but... Well, Eren's dealt with chances before and they've never been on his side."

"Mikasa, it's still something. It's still an option."

"I guess... It'd take us years to raise that money though."

"If that's what it takes then okay." Levi moved to sit down beside her. He knew he shouldn't have, but if they were to be with each other and not against one another, that meant he had to be there for her. "Hey, we didn't know that Eren would ever hear again. We've got a chance, and I say we take it."

"What if it destroys his hearing?"

"And what if we don't try? Then we spend the rest of our lives wondering what could have happened had we gone for it. If we don't do it, he'll never hear again. We can't live our lives wondering what would have happened. There's only two outcomes from this, and if it works, Eren can hear."

Mikasa's black eyes were on him like an animal looking at its prey. Hungry, but eating up every single word he spoke. He was so honest about it, so serious. She had only brought up the idea to find out if Eren had known of it beforehand, because he seemed to have an idea of them. She didn't think she'd hear this kind of talk from him, and yet here she was taking it all to heart.

"I say we go for it."

"... I'm sorry."

"Huh...?" He wasn't expecting that response.

"I didn't mean to get your hopes up so fast. I just wanted to know if you knew, that's all."

"You don't need to apologize for that." The older man reprimanded her.

"Right..."

"Hey, I'm serious here." Levi said and nudged at the teens shoulder. "Don't apologize. I've got a reason to actually work now."

"W-Wait, you can't ser-"

"You must not understand the whole dating thing." The man growled irritably. "He's my boyfriend. I know you don't like hearing that, but it's true. That means I'll do whatever it takes to make him happy."

Once again, Mikasa found herself quiet and staring.

She must not have understood it then. She worked so much that Levi doubted she dated, or even thought of anyone else besides Eren and Armin. He wasn't going to play match maker with her, but she really needed someone in her life.

"... Alright." The teen didn't seem to have much argument left in her. She seemed too tired, and who wouldn't be? He hadn't gotten much sleep last night either (he'd blame Eren for that later). As far as he could see it, everyone needed to be home, in bed, and resting. "I'm sorry..."

"Why do you keep apologizing?" Levi couldn't help but ask.

"Because..." The older man waited, but it seemed as if she wasn't going to continue that sentence.

"Because what?"

"I've never heard of Eren mentioning them before. I thought maybe it was something you two talked about..."

"Oh..." Levi hummed. "No, he's never mentioned it to me."

"Do you have any ideas of where he could have found out?"

"No, not a clue. Maybe he looked it up with Armin's computer?" The older man suggested and stood. His leg didn't appreciate the gesture at all, but he felt that he'd made his point. There was no reason to sit beside her anymore.

"Maybe. He just..."

"Just what?"

"He seemed so heartbroken. When the doctor told him how much it would be for him... It was like his biggest dreams had been crushed into tiny pieces. It's just not fair." Mikasa spoke as if her own dreams had been ruined too. While Eren wanted nothing more than to hear again, it put pressure on his family. They wanted his hearing back too, and it hurt them to know they couldn't afford it.

"We'll get them, Mikasa. We just have to work for it."

"What more can we do that we aren't doing already? Armin and I can't drop out of school."

"And you won't." Levi assured her. "You'll finish school and get your education."

"My dad came out of you on that one..." She whispered under we breath, but Levi still managed to hear it.

"That's because I'm an old man." He remarked and put his weight to his good leg. He thought he saw the barest hint of a smirk on her lips before he noticed a nurse coming up to them, wheelchair in hand.

"Looks like Eren's chariot has arrived." Mikasa remarked dryly and stood up. Levi nodded his head as her and the nurse made their way into the room. The laughter from inside died down, but only a moment later did he hear Eren sigh absurdly. Relief probably.

He waited for a moment, because he knew what would follow would be a few things. They'd unhook him from machines, they'd pull the IV out of him (a sight he never much appreciated), and then he'd sit down in his chair. It was nothing exciting, but he knew his ulterior motives. He knew he just didn't like the sight of it, and now that Eren was aware of it, he understood, more or less, that even though he loved him, it was hard to participate in hospital antics.

He waited patiently, hearing the chatter from within the room, hearing Eren groan as he got up and sat down. He was still pretty sore, and Levi would lie and say that was from the seizure. He wasn't about to take the credit for it while his sister was around.

After another few moments, Armin came out of the room first, bright eyed and smiling. He was just as relieved as he was that Eren was leaving the hospital. The nurse came through next, and soon to follow was Mikasa pushing Eren out with the use of his wheelchair.

Levi tried to mask the sudden ache in his heart.

The brunette looked up at him and smiled, seemingly relaxed for the moment. He knew though. He knew seeing him like this upset him greatly, so he wasn't about to make him worry. If he had it his way, he'd be walking out of here, but damn was he sore. Mikasa and Armin were pretty adamant about it as well.

"Levy," He said and lifted his hand. The bandaging on his hand had Levi swallowing painfully, but he took it up regardless.

"You okay...?" Levi asked, his free hand barely able to sign it.

"Mhm..." Eren hummed. The older man smiled lightly, a small smile, but it was something. He patted his head carefully before Mikasa started pushing him forward, but it was a short ride. "Mikasa..." He mumbled.

"Yeah...?" She asked and stopped. Once again Eren waved her forward, his attempt at being inconspicuous. The problem with it, however, was that Eren didn't have privacy from Armin and Levi who could read sign language.

_"I want to talk to you."_

That was their instant sign to walk away.

Levi and Armin stepped back, but Levi found his curiosity to peak again. He didn't know why he couldn't control himself lately, but he couldn't help his wandering eyes.

"You better hope they don't notice." Armin said with a mocking tone. He was all knowing and all seeing.

"They aren't going to notice." Levi waved him off like what he was doing wasn't a bad thing.

_"What is it, Eren?"_

When the two of them knew they were out of ear shot (it didn't help their case though), their conversation began.

_"Mikasa... I'm sorry about before."_

_"About what?"_

_"Just... Everything. I don't want to push you away anymore. I just..."_  Eren seemed to trip over his words. This wasn't easy for him to admit, but they all knew that he was a prideful person. He didn't like to admit to his faults.

_"You get on my nerves sometimes, Mikasa. You irritate me to no end, but I still love you. You know that, right?"_

Suffice it to say, Levi had never seen Mikasa look so shocked before.

_"Of course I do."_

_"Sometimes I feel like I push too much, and then I say shit that doesn't come out right or I don't mean-"_

_"You've done that forever, Eren. Are you just realizing that now?"_

"Shut up..." Eren grumbled, his hands already feeling an ache.  _"I mean it though. I'm sorry, and I want to have a better relationship with you and be more honest with you. I..."_

 _"I'd like that too."_  She told him after a moment, but she knew this wasn't over. There was still plenty more to talk about, at least right now. Eren had something to say.

_"So I want to tell you something..."_

_"I'm not going to like this, am I?"_ His sister asked with a frown. She already knew what was coming though.

_"... Levi and I started dating again... Months back even... And I'm sorry for never telling you."_

Levi could see even from where he and Armin stood that Eren's hands were trembling. He didn't know that Mikasa already knew this, or even knew that they slept together last night. He was afraid to start a fight between them again, but maybe now that she knew, there was a bit of wiggle room for talking instead of arguing.

 _"... I figured as much."_  She admitted weakly.

"Huh...?" Eren sounded out loud.

 _"You talk about him so frequently that it wasn't hard to guess."_  She stated bluntly.

"O-Oh..." Eren looked down into his lap, golden eyes on his fingers as they fidgeted against his legs. There was more to say, and if she already knew of their dating behind her back, she probably had an idea of what else was going on. _"That's not all..."_

_"Really...?"_

_"Yeah..."_ Eren shifted in his chair, the wheels rubbing against the floor being the only sound within the hall for the time being. He wasn't really going to tell her this in the middle of a hospital, was he?  _"I... I slept with Levi last night."_

"You're lucky you're in a hospital already." Armin said from where he stood, a chuckle lacing his tone.

It wasn't just him that was eavesdropping then.

Levi shot him a look, but it was only for a moment. He couldn't take his eyes off of the two, wondering what it was that was being said between them, and to know that, he had to follow their hands.

 _"... I see."_ She responded, much too calm for anyone's liking. Even Eren could see it, and seeing her so relaxed by the statement wasn't natural.

_"... And?"_

_"And what?"_

_"Well, aren't you angry? Or even sad or something?"_  Eren asked. Now he was the one who was upset.

_"Not really..."_

_"You aren't anything? I just told you I had sex wit-"_

_"Don't say it again."_ His sister interrupted him.

 _"I knew that bothered you."_ Eren signed with a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

 _"Yeah... But it's your life. I can't keep butting in anymore unless I want to push you away."_  She told him.

The brunette's eyes widened in surprise.

They'd talked about this before. They'd talked about this after arguments and fights, saying how much they wanted to fix things between them. There was never a permanent resolution, just a temporary fix.

However, the look in his sister's black eyes spoke differently this time around. What words failed to produce was spoken, more honesty held deep within them. There was an understanding, a certain emotion he just didn't know of. She wasn't a person who wore her emotions on her sleeve as the saying went, but something said something different this time around, and he wasn't sure what.

 _"You aren't the only one who wants a better relationship, Eren."_ She signed, a smile tugging at her lips _. "You're my little brother after all. I'd hate to think that I drove us apart."_

 _"... I'm only a few months younger."_ Eren corrected her. Mikasa rolled her eyes before flicking her forefinger and thumb against his forehead. He whined as he rubbed at the stinging area, slowly turning red, but it seemed that their conversation had come to an end.

Levi stayed behind for a moment, watching his boyfriend whine at her in a language only he seemed to understand. Armin was soon joining them, hands in his pockets as he laughed at the two of them. Whatever it was he was saying, whether morphed or a gargled version of English, it had his siblings smiling and laughing, and that was enough for him.

He liked seeing this a lot more than seeing the arguing. He liked seeing them happy, and for once him being there wasn't causing any problems.

He liked this a lot.

"It's your fault, Eren."

"It's not my fault!" Levi recognized their hands as they continued to speak, but even as he read on, his mind began to wander. It began to wander to the idea of Eren mentioning implants. How he wanted them, and how much it would cost.

What started that though? Where did Eren learn about Cochlear implants and why did he want them now? That was a rhetorical question, but it still remained. Even when he knew that Eren had never been comfortable without his hearing, he thought he had a pretty good grasp on his life without it. He couldn't see any other reasons for him to want one, except maybe one.

_'I want to hear you say you love me, not read it!'_

Remembering those words had Levi physically stop in his tracks, left behind to watch the others walk away with smiles and laughter.

This had something to do with him, didn't it? That was a stupid question, and he knew it. It had everything to do with him. He didn't want to think so high and mighty, to let his ego boost, but the idea was more than likely true.

This was because of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: If you look closely, you can once again see plot developing.


	25. Locked Doors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So before we continue, I'd like to thank Sour-Mouchi for giving me this prompt (The prompt comes after the first bracket). This was a genius idea and I loved it, though I did differ from it. Just a little though. ^^' I still loved it. ^_^ With that being said, if anyone has any ideas or prompts they'd like to see happen, you're more than welcome to throw them out there. If I feel like it's something that works into the story, I'd be more than happy to write it. :3 When I say fit in, I mean something happening to Levi and Eren, not so much Eren suddenly turning into a mermaid and living in the ocean. But hey! I'll make that one into a separate story! X'D But yeah, if you have any ideas you'd like to see in this story, please feel free to send me it. ^^ I'd love to get some ideas flowing out of these cold fingers of mine!
> 
> Another thank you to Sour-Mouchi! :D Big applause to Sour-Mouchi!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty Five: Locked Doors**

* * *

"That's it then..."

Looking up the bricks of the building was a nostalgic feeling.

The cold air ached deep within their bones, but they couldn't be bothered to step into the comforts of Hanji's warm car for a moment. They were frozen where they now stood, eyeing the sign of the bookstore with sadness in their hearts. Sadness at the signs still in the window that said "Going out of Business." The sign on the door said closed, but there was no reason for it now.

It'd never open again.

The keys within Levi's hand jingled as he walked away and back to his boyfriend, trying to seem a little more hopeful than he felt. He didn't want Eren to be so upset, but it wasn't easy. Even after half a month, Levi still hadn't found a job, and Eren was at a loss for what to do. Hanji managed to get a job at a cafe, but they were left unemployed and hopeless.

"I'm still helping you guys." Hanji spoke up, her fingers signing for the brunette, though he didn't see it. "I'll still help you guys find jobs."

"Worry about yourself, Hanji. It's sweet, but we're adults. We can do it." Levi told her.

"You're my friends, and I always help my friends. You of all people should know that by now." Hanji said and lightly punched his arm. It wasn't anything painful, just more of a playful tap to show she was still there for them.

"You would think, right?" Levi questioned under his breath, more for himself than Hanji. Eren looked over to the two of them, watching their exchange with minimal interest.

He wanted to show a happy face like them, but he couldn't. Unlike them, he didn't have many chances for jobs. With this one gone, there would be nothing to occupy his time, nothing to use as an excuse for seeing Levi more often. Now that he didn't have this job, once he said goodbye, how long would it be before he could see him again?

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair.

"Hey brat," Levi said and touched his arm. Eren startled in surprise, not expecting to be addressed so soon. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay..." Eren mumbled.  _"At least I will be."_

"It'll be okay, you guys!" Hanji signed and stepped in front of the two. She needed to make sure she had Eren's attention on her. "There are always jobs out there, and sure, it'll be a little difficult, but you'll find them! As they say, one door closes and another one opens!"

She was trying to stay positive. There was nothing wrong with that and it was greatly appreciated, but it was hard to reciprocate her feelings and actions when they didn't feel the same way. Right now it was doom and gloom, like it was the end of the world and there was no saving them. They knew jobs were out there and the possibilities were endless, but right now they couldn't be happy. They couldn't be positive like she was.

She was the one with a job after all.

"Hanji's right. We have to keep our heads up, Eren." Levi signed to his boyfriend. Eren sighed heavily, but otherwise nodded his head in agreement.

"I know..." Levi truly felt bad. He hated to think the world would put him at such a disadvantage to everyone else, but it was true and there wasn't much they could do about it. They just had to keep looking.

"You guys, stop being so depressed. It's making me upset." Hanji whined, her lips pulling in a tight frown.

"Sorry Hanji..." Eren apologized and put on a fake smile. Levi pulled Eren close with an arm around his waist, smile ignored for just a more hopeful stare.

"Thanks Hanji. We really appreciate it." He told her as Eren huddled against him for warmth.

"Of course you do. At least you better. It wouldn't be fun for you if I had to drill that into your heads." She mused as she began walking forward. The two followed in the direction of her parked car, silence settling between the trio.

Hanji could feel the tension, but as much as she wanted to talk to them, she knew that it was best to keep quiet for now. They needed time and space, and there was nothing she could do for that.

"You guys want to grab lunch at least? It's still early." Hanji mentioned.

"Nah. Eren has homework, and now that I've got time, I can finally work on this commission for Erwin." Levi said.

"Wait, you're painting again?" The woman asked in astonishment.

"Only a painting for his wife. That's it." He reminded her.

"You're no fun, Levi!" She pouted as a car pulled up to them. Eren and Levi knew who it was soon enough, but the pouting brunette had to wait until they stepped out of the car to find out who it was.

"Hey guys," Eren mumbled towards his sister and friend.

"Hey there. Did we miss it?" Armin asked as he stepped out, careful not to slip on the ice right beneath his feet.

"Yeah, but there wasn't much to it. All I did was lock the doors." Levi told him. "Trust me. Nothing exciting happened."

"Sorry we couldn't make it at least." Mikasa apologized while walking over to them. "Couldn't get out of work fast enough."

"They're driving you into the ground, Mikasa. I applaud your work ethic, because I would have quit a shit job like that ages ago." The older man remarked carefully.

Despite the time that had passed since their treaty in December, the two of them still walked on ice as thin as what Armin was standing on. They spoke carefully around each other, and mentions of past arguments were an absolute no. They'd do anything to avoid confrontation, at least around Eren that is.

"It's nothing I can't handle." She said positively. "Anyway, do you guys need a ride?"

"No thanks, sweetie! My car is parked right there." Hanji said and motioned to her car parked not too far away.

"I was just going to walk." Levi said and shrugged his shoulders.

"When it's this cold?" Armin questioned skeptically.

"I don't live that far."

"No," Mikasa said and shook her head.

"What?"

"No, we'll drive you home." She told him. "It's too cold for you to be walking around with your leg like that."

"It's better this week, I promise."

"Levy..." Eren whined, his lips forming a frown.  _"Just go with her. Do it for me?"_

Levi forgot when he signed things these days. He did it so often that it was becoming a habit to sign whenever he talked, and doing that meant that Eren knew everything he talked about. He didn't need to read his lips to know of the situation anymore.

"Alright..." Levi sighed, already feeling a sting in his leg. His body may have been healing well, but the ache from standing on it too long was still there.

"Thank you..." Eren whispered before pursing his lips into his forehead.

"You're lucky I love you..." Levi muttered under his breath. Eren wouldn't have noticed it with their positions.

His eyes drifted over to the two other teens, looking for any warning signs from them. Armin wouldn't have been mad, just warning him of the inevitable fate that was Eren's adoptive sister. Mikasa, however, didn't seem angry.

Annoyed? Yes. Angry? Not really.

She wasn't looking in their direction though. She looked away at anything but them, even at Hanji who was mindlessly fiddling with her keys.

That was improvement. At least for Mikasa that was.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled.

"Hm...?"

 _"Since we don't have anything to do, why don't you come home with us?"_ Eren suggested, his golden eyes never wavering from his. Levi could understand why. He didn't want to see the expression on Mikasa's face when he suggested it.

"No, Eren." He shut the idea down quickly.

"Why not...? You can paint while you're with us."

"Eren..." Armin sighed. Not with the same annoyance as Mikasa, but he knew his friend was pushing it.

"If they honestly don't mind me staying for a while, then sure." Levi said, once again looking over to the two teens standing by. "I wouldn't want to be a bother."

"I don't mind, but uh..." Armin trailed off, glancing to his friend with worry present in his expression.

"That's not fair..." Mikasa uttered, looking away from Eren's pout. "It seems I'm outnumbered, per the usual."

"Thanks, Mikasa." Eren thanked her while wrapping his arms around Levi.

"Yeah, yeah."

"Hanji, would you like to join us?" Armin asked the woman, who had been uncharacteristically silent until now.

"Nah, but thank you. I've got some things I need to take care of. Papers and boring stuff to fill out before I start working." Hanji didn't want to mention much about her new job. She'd give them an answer, but not one filled with details. She didn't want to upset Eren after all.

"Alright then..." Mikasa mumbled.

"Might as well get to it then! See you all later!" Hanji cheered for them as she walked backwards, away from them and a hand waving in their direction.

No one would admit it, but this was upsetting to say the least. This wouldn't be the last time they saw her, but it would be for a while. There was no more seeing each other on an almost daily basis. No more getting to talk to one another whenever they felt it. Who knew when they'd be able to sit and have lunch at work, chat, and laugh with mouths full?

Eren wanted to know when it'd happen again, but he already knew the answer.

Never. This was a onetime deal for him, so he knew it'd never happen again.

"Hey..." The brunette felt the vibrations of Levi's voice as he spoke up. He looked down at him, but he saw that Levi's eyes were directed towards his adopted sibling and friend. Mikasa had been nudging Armin's side, a small and rare smile playing in her lips until Levi spoke up. "Something you wanted to tell us?"

"Go on, Armin. Tell them," Mikasa proposed.

"No, not now at least. Now isn't a good time..."

 _"What is it?"_ Eren asked him with furrowed brows. Armin sighed, eyes looking down at the ground for a moment, deep in thought.

"... I-I got the job with Erwin." He admitted weakly, his lips spreading into the previous smile that had been there. Now Levi knew why.

 _"Armin, that's great!"_ Eren cheered for him, only now leaving the older man's side to hug his friend.  _"Why didn't you say something sooner?"_

"I didn't want to make this seem like it was about me. Besides, I didn't want you thinking I was rubbing this in your face."

 _"Of course not, Armin!"_  Eren reprimanded him. _"God, if anything I needed this news. I'm so happy for you."_

"Really...?"

"Really..." The brunette assured him with a playful pat on top of his head. Levi smiled at the gesture, fingers digging into his deep pockets in search of his phone. He pulled it out quickly, but before he could start sending out a message, one had already appeared on his screen.

_Sender: Erwin_

_Received at: 6:40 p.m._

_"Levi! Thanks for sending Armin over to me! He's perfect and I don't know where he's been all my life!"_

_Draft_

_Written at 6:43 p.m._

_"Careful, Erwin. You're a happily married man remember."_

_-Sent_

Levi snickered to himself as he pushed his phone back into his pocket. The sound of Eren uttering unintelligible words caught his attention, feeling a sweetness filling him up as he looked upon his boyfriend.

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but they were at that point in their relationship where everything they did made him feel warm and fuzzy. Almost every other thought was about Eren, and anytime he thought of him, he knew his cheeks were flushed a light shade of red. He was glad they were outside so he could blame the cold, but that wasn't always the case.

 _"We have to celebrate!"_ Eren commented with heavy joy.

"Should we eat out?" Armin asked.

_"I think Mikasa should cook her famous monster mash. I haven't had that in forever."_

"I'll need to stop by the store for noodles then. No one minds, right?" Mikasa asked, her eyes looking to the man. Of course she knew her family wouldn't have a problem with it. It was their special dinner after all. It was Levi she was asking the question to mainly.

"No, not at all." He answered carefully.

 _"Would you like to stay for dinner?"_  Eren asked him.  _"She makes killer monster mash."_

"It would help if I knew what that was." Levi retorted as they began piling into the car. Mikasa drove, Armin sat beside her, and the two lovebirds took the back. His sister watched them like a hawk though. She didn't want any unnecessary groping or gross talking going on while she was occupied with driving.

"Focus on driving..." Armin mumbled as he played around with the radio, trying to distract her. She needed her eyes on the road after all.

"I'm driving..." She uttered with a sigh. Armin acted like he didn't see her knuckles turning white with her vice like grip.

Eren and Levi looked out the window beside them, eyes looking over the emptied bookstore one last time. With heavy hearts, they looked upon it somberly, eyes staying on it until Mikasa drove far away enough to where they couldn't see it anymore.

It was gone. The building would always be there, but the meaning of it no longer counted. Their manager had said something about the building being turned into a small outlet for clothes relatively soon, which meant they wouldn't have the chance to go back and see it as it once was.

The memories of where it all started last year felt distant. It wasn't too long ago, and yet it felt like it had been forever since the two met. It felt like forever since Levi had knocked the brunette out of his chair and cussed him out for ignoring them, and it felt like forever since Levi began learning sign language.

A small smile played on both of their lips as they looked to one another, worry obvious, but they were still together. That was all that mattered right now. They'd figure out what to do later, but for now, they had to focus on what was happening at this moment, and what was happening right now?

Eren was curling into the older man's shoulder, his hand finding his and holding it tight. He was closing his eyes and looking oh so peaceful, and Levi wanted to curse his luck when his phone began vibrating in his pocket.

_Sender: Erwin_

_Received at: 6:45 p.m._

_"And an older one at that. Yes, I am aware."_

_Draft_

_Written at 6:45 p.m._

_"That's not what I meant, but sure. Let's use that too."_

_-Sent_

Levi thought about it for a moment longer.

_"Wait, was that a crack about Eren and I?"_

_"I'm going to kick your ass, Erwin."_

* * *

"I'm stuffed..." Eren groaned as he rolled over onto his back, eyes looking up into dark eyes staring down at him contently.

"She's trying to turn you into a turkey." Levi commented and poked at his stomach.

_"I wouldn't doubt it. Aren't you full?"_

"Of course. Your sister overfed me in hopes I'd pop." Levi replied, head leaning back into the couch. Eren sighed as he rocked his head back and forth, scratching his head into Levi's jeans.

He felt so comfortable right now, but he was waiting for something to ruin this moment. Whether it was Mikasa starting something or Levi needing to leave, it didn't matter. Something was going to ruin this. There just had to be something.

"You're a very good cook, Mikasa." Levi commented quietly, eyes looking up to the girl cleaning off the table. She looked back at him, as if confused by his remark before looking away. That wasn't the faintest of blushes on her cheeks, was it?

"Thanks..." She uttered, as if in defeat.

"She really means it." Armin told the older man, making sure he understood her deep intentions behind her words.

"I'll be right back." She practically growled before leaving the room.

"Trust me...?" Armin mumbled questionably. Levi rolled his eyes before looking down at his boyfriend, questioning the brunette's big, golden eyes.

"Are you comfortable?"

"Very, yes..." Eren closed his eyes, taking in the feeling of his head securely tucked away in his boyfriend's lap.

This was nice. It wasn't often they had time to themselves like this. Hanji was more than often with them, and Eren always had to be home by a certain time. Even with Armin sitting there, this peace was nice.

For all of about two minutes.

After Armin had switched the TV on and Levi had opened up his sketchbook to begin the first rough drafts of his painting, Mikasa stormed in. At first it was ignored, thinking this her usual attitude when annoyed.

However, it wasn't so easy to ignore the sharp smack to the back of his head as a notebook hit him. It had him all but jump, barely managing to stay in his seat had it not been for Eren's head. The brunette promptly sat up when he felt Levi jump, only moments later seeing the notebook and piecing together what had happened.

Suffice it to say, he wasn't pleased.

"Mikasa!" He yelled out.

"What was that for?" The blonde asked her as he stood up.

"What the hell did I do this time?" Levi asked as he rubbed at the back of his head, the sting still present and accounted for.

"Listen, I get it. You and Eren are dating. I understand that, and believe me when I say I'm trying very hard to come to the terms that you two are doing things couples would do. However, I don't need to know the details, nor fucking read about it!" She barked and picked up the notebook, only to shove it into the man's chest.

"Mikasa! Stop it!" Eren yelled at her.

"What are you talking about?" Levi asked as he picked up the book. It was one of Eren's usual notebooks. The blue ones he used to talk to people with, but the pink or purple ones he wrote his stories in (For whatever reasons he picked those colors, Levi wasn't sure). This was a purple one, and each page was filled to the brim with writing. Nothing had been left blank, even the backs of the pages were filled in.

The purple notebook was already open and marked by a bent corner. Levi, he assumed, was supposed to read what was written here, as if Mikasa wanted that.

_"... Pulling at the bindings of my hands above my head. I was trapped, nowhere to go and nothing to do but sit there and allow my body to be ravaged by the older man who stared at me with his glassy, grey eyes. I felt a shiver travel up and down my spine as his eyes looked upon me as if I were the human (not the monster) and he was the Titan, ready to devour me._

_Maybe he was._

_As his hands roamed down my body, another shiver fluttered across my flushed skin. I felt goose bumps crawling down my flesh as he left delicate kisses over the bruises on my thighs, skin long since marred by the belts we used on a day to day basis. From there, Levi's lips, warm and damp, traveled over my-"_

"No!"

Eren's hands suddenly snatched the notebook from the man and closed it before he could continue reading any further. Levi all but jumped in surprise, eyes staring up at the brunette with question and curiosity.

The words written down in the notebooks, the ones he was able to see briefly and catch before Eren torn the book away, were about them. What it was about he wasn't entirely sure. Something about his arms being tied above his head, and then Levi doing something to him that Eren didn't want him seeing.

They hadn't done those things yet. Levi had never tied up Eren's hands, and what was this talk of belts around his thighs? They'd never done stuff like that either. What was a titan? Was that some new sexual jargon to refer to an older man, like an older woman is a cougar, or was it something else?

The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to form, but until then, the teen felt it best to take it out on his sibling.

 _"Mikasa! What are you doing looking through my stuff? I told you never to do that!"_  Despite the deep flush in his cheeks, Eren was positively livid. He looked ready to throw the notebook right back at her for ever embarrassing him like that, but his nails dug into the binding until the nail beds turned white. He wasn't letting anyone else get their hands on it.

"It's very hard not to when you leave it wide open on your bed!" Mikasa yelled in exasperation. She had a blush on her cheeks to meet the brunette's.

_"So? What were you doing in my room anyway? Who said you could go in there?"_

"You leave dirty dishes in your room!"

"Oh lord..." Armin mumbled from his chair, head dropping and fingers rubbing at his temples. He was not in the mood for this, for them or their arguing.

_"Stay out of my room and stop looking through my stuff! Especially my writing!"_

"Then stop leaving it out in the open! I swear, it's like you were hoping someone would read it!" Mikasa barked, but just as the words left her lips, her eyes fell to the older man. She visibly cringed, lips forming a very thin line of a frown in disgust at the idea that Eren would want him seeing it. "I don't need to know about your sex lives."

"Hate to break it to you, but I never tied Eren up when we did it. He's writing based solely off imagination." Levi told her, noticing that he was having a hard time fighting off the grin on his lips. He was enjoying her reactions too much, but also the idea that Eren was writing about them in an explicit way.

"I don't need to know that!"

"Alright, just stop!" Armin yelled over them. The room fell silent, eyes darting to the blonde who had gotten out of his chair in annoyance. Even Eren felt the rumble of his voice through the floor, surprise evident on his face as he tried to figure out what was going on. They had stopped signing, which made it extremely difficult for him to follow along with their argument. "Mikasa, go do the dishes or something! Just ignore it, okay?"

Suffice it to say, the two of them were surprised. It was rare for Armin to have an outburst like that, give or take the last one Levi had ever seen. However, when he saw the dark tint of red on his cheeks, he quickly realized what it was that was causing this. Not out of anger or jealousy. No, not even close.

The conversation was just as embarrassing to him as it was to the rest of them.

"Fine..." Eren's sister growled before moving back to finish working on the dishes. Armin sighed in relief, head dropping to relieve some of the tension on his shoulders.

"Thanks Armin..." Levi thanked him, his hands finally moving to sign again.

"Don't thank me. I just don't want to hear about your sex life with my best friend." Armin uttered, but just before leaving, added something more. "I didn't know you guys were doing it to begin with..."

Levi felt bad. He really did. Armin probably didn't need to know that he and Eren had sex (Only once. It was beginning to sound like they went at it like rabbits), but he definitely didn't need to figure it out by means of an argument.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled and sat down beside the man.  _"What's going on? Why were Mikasa and Armin arguing?"_

"They weren't. Mikasa and I were, but Armin jumped in and stopped it." Levi explained to him.

"About...?" Eren's hands tightened around his notebook, cheeks a dark shade of red as he looked at it carefully.

"Mikasa doesn't like hearing the details of our sex life, but..." The man's fingers, quick and nimble, pulled at the notebook. It was of no surprise that it didn't come out of his hands; Eren had such a strong grip on it that it would take a F6 tornado to rip it from them, but he managed a peek at the writing inside. It did well to make Eren blush. "If I remember correctly, I never tied you up."

"I-It's not like that..." Eren stuttered, body sitting back to avoid Levi's peeping eyes.

"Are you writing down fantasies or something like that?" Levi asked with a smirk.

_"No! They aren't fantasies..."_

"You aren't very convincing..."

 _"Originally... Originally I was writing this story. I'm not good at naming characters though, so I just used our names."_  Eren looked up past his bangs, finding a very pleased man sitting before him.  _"Don't be so smug. Mikasa and Armin's names are here as well."_

"So the two guys having sex in there has nothing to do with us...?"

 _"Well... I didn't say that."_ The brunette admitted weakly.  _"At first this story had nothing to do about romance... But then I met you... And I guess my emotions kind of led the relationship and actions between the two main characters."_

"Who just happened to be named after us?"

To that, Eren playfully shoved at his shoulders.

"Stop it..."

"So then you  _do_  want to be tied up?"

"Please stop..." Eren whined and dropped his head onto his boyfriends shoulder. He didn't want this odd conversation to continue on any longer. He had never meant for the older man to see it after all.

"So can I read it?" Levi asked.

"What? N-No!"

"No, not that." Levi pulled at the notebook with Eren's arms again, this time getting a more relaxed response. "Can I read the story?"

"Oh..." Eren uttered, golden eyes widening in surprise. He looked down for a moment at the purple covering, multiple scribbles written all over it in a means to cover up the failed attempts of names. He never had picked out a name, had he? "Uhm _... It's not that good, but if you want to..."_

Reluctantly, Eren released his grip on the book, allowing it to slip into Levi's hands with ease.

"I've read some of your writings before, Eren. You're really good writer, so I don't know why you would think otherwise." Levi told him.

 _"We are our own worst critique."_  Eren replied sheepishly. Levi rolled his eyes, a huff of something similar to a laugh lacing his tone. He sat back, no longer fearing another smack to the back of his head now that he knew Mikasa's hands were busy with soapy water and dishes. He got himself comfortable, opened it up to the first page, and glanced at the poorly written words of some of Eren's older writing.

_"On that day, mankind received a grim reminder that we were in fear of the titans, and were disgraced to live in these cages we called walls..."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like writing some sexy time for the next chapter...


	26. Heated Exchange

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops, look at that. More plot sprinkled about. What be thy sorcery?!
> 
> Okay, so one person did throw out an idea for the story, which was having Eren top. While I did mention it in this chapter, because I've said it already, this will be a Riren only fanfic. After the shizzles from A Forged Wedding (If you read that one you know what I mean), I decided to stay specific with "Shipping" because some people do not, I repeat, do not, appreciate Levi being a bottom. That and I've already said that Eren is the bottom. With that being said, however, I have no problems writing something else, so like I said before, if you've got prompts, send them in. I'm more than happy to write them out in this or make it a separate fanfic. ^^ We'll be sticking with Eren as a bottom for this fanfic, but I really appreciate the idea though, so please don't feel bad. I have no problems with it, but I don't want any shipping drama wars. :3
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty Six: Heated Exchange**

* * *

Muted breaths. Heavy sighs. Soft, gentle caresses.

Eren's back arched, his chest pressing into that of the older man's as he kissed back with everything he could muster up. It seemed as if Levi managed such a heavy kiss so easily, like it was second nature. He kissed him with vigor, lips pressing and insisting, tongue warm and wet. He did it so tactfully, which left the teen to question his own abilities.

Did Levi get any gratification from kissing his inexperienced lips?

"L-Levy..." Eren breathed, lips damp and hot against the older man's. Levi sat back, dark eyes looking down at him almost predatory-like, as if possessive. What had he done to deserve such a hot look like that?

 _"You alright?"_  Levi asked, his fingers signing his words while his tongue licked his lips. Eren shuddered at the sight, eyes taking in the sight of the man above him.

"Uh huh..." Eren hummed pathetically. He had no real way to respond when the blood was rushing elsewhere.

"You seem distracted." Levi mentioned as he sat up further, his lower body still pressed tight to Eren's hips. "Thinking about more fantasies?" He asked.

 _"It wasn't a fantasy!"_  Eren whined and tried pushing himself up, but all he managed to do was use his elbows as a prop to keep himself elevated.

"What would you call those belts other than 3DMG?" Levi questioned with a smirk.

 _"Just that."_  Eren argued.  _"I'm not letting you read any more of my story."_

"Why...? Did you put something other than bondage in it? Say wax play perhaps?"

 _"You're impossible..."_  Eren groaned and leaned back into the couch. Had he known any better, he would have known to keep his voice down. However, Mikasa and Armin weren't home. They were at school, and wouldn't be back for hours thanks to work right afterwards. This left Levi and Eren by themselves in the house for some very much needed alone time, but that wasn't easy to get when this man kept teasing him so much.

"But you love me," Levi remarked, hands running down the teen's inner thighs. He felt the subtle shiver in those toned muscles, saw the way his breathing hitched, and felt a tightness in his chest.

This brat was getting the best of him in all of the right ways.

"Yeah..." He whined.

"You know I'm playing with you..." Levi told him and rubbed little circles on his knee caps. "Although I'd love to know what you have in mind for today."

Eren crossed his arms over his chest, seemingly pouting, but there was a small glint in his eyes. A small glint of something, but what? It couldn't be what Levi thought it was. The brat was too innocent for that stuff.

Then again, he did write  _that_  scene.

"What...? You're telling me you actually have a fantasy...?"

 _"It's not a fantasy, just... An idea..."_ Eren's golden eyes looked anywhere but him as he admitted his internal thoughts.

"An idea...?" Levi leaned forward, hands falling on either side of the brunette's head to hold himself up. He looked down at him with a humorous chuckle leaving his barely parted lips. "Well why don't you indulge in this idea?"

"No..." He was definitely pouting.

"I won't laugh at you. I promise." Levi assured him with a quick kiss to his forehead. The brunette looked up expectantly, eyes weary and lip pulling further into the frown that graced his lips.

"Well... I was thinking of uh..." Eren trailed off, eyes looking off in another direction to think about the words he wanted to use.

"Yeah...?" Levi asked and tilted his head.

 _"I was thinking that... That maybe I could do it this time."_  He admitted, fingers trembling as he waited for something, anything from the older man. A sarcastic remark, a snort, or even the laughter he was more so expecting.

"Do what...?" Levi questioned.

 _"You know... It. So instead of you doing it to me, it'd me doing it to... You..."_  Eren saw the realization dawn on the older man's face, his fingers slowing at the way the man's eyes widened in surprise, but then amusement.

This kid and his innocence. He was just too cute.

"Yeah right," Levi shot down the idea quickly with a smirk and a not so held down chuckle.

"Ugh! You're impossible!" Eren dropped his head back and covered his eyes, hiding the utter shame and embarrassment he felt from having to admit such an idea. He hadn't meant it by much, just that he wanted to try it. Levi must have found his attempts very entertaining, however, to get him smiling so uncharacteristically.

"Sorry, you're just too cute sometimes." Levi apologized, but it was unheard and unseen by Eren's hidden eyes.

The older man leaned forward and pressed his lips into the tan column of his neck, savoring the wonderful shudder that passed through the teen's body. He didn't give the kid a chance to look before his hands were back on his thighs, rubbing back and forth on in hopes to bring back the more playful air around them and deaden the tension that was swallowing them up right now.

Eren whined low in his throat and pushed at the man's shoulders, but the efforts were fruitless. He didn't have it in him to really fight this man, not when he was doing these pleasurable things to him. He wouldn't deny the ache he felt for him ever since their first night together. It was impossible to get time to themselves, but now they had it. They had an empty house, just the two of them, and as much time as they could possibly need.

How could he turn an opportunity like this up?

"L-Levy..." Eren wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders, fingers gripping at his sweater and pulling him forward. He met the slightly chapped lips with as much emotion as he could drive into the kiss, because if he wasn't the one doing it this time, it'd be him driving the man mad.

That is, until the doorbell rang.

Levi's head lifted to the sound, and Eren responded not a moment later to the knock that followed. They paused, waiting to see if it had been their imaginations or if they had really heard it, but Levi could hear distant voices coming from not too far away, and he was sure Eren could feel the vibrations from something.

"Really...?" Eren sighed and sat up. Levi followed, pushing himself up and off the couch before fixing his sweater.

"Want me to get it?" He asked.

"Sure..." Eren said somberly.

So much for private time. That'd have to wait, but he only hoped it was something like a mail carrier.

Levi left his side and headed to the front door. Why he bothered to look through the window he wasn't sure, but he wasn't put off by the sight of some teenagers waiting outside in the cold, talking amongst themselves.

Friends of Eren's? He was about to find out.

Levi looked back at Eren, making sure he wasn't indecent from their moments before opening the door. He felt a gust of cold air hit him hard and fast, but he couldn't be bothered by it when the people in front of him suddenly acknowledged his presence.

"Oh..." The one with freckles murmured. A man behind him, absurdly tall and built out of nothing but muscle stepped back, taking a look at the house with confusion.

"We don't have the wrong house, right?" He asked as he looked back.

"They didn't move..." A girl beside him, short, equally blonde, and big, blue eyes (Levi would have mistaken her for Armin's sister had their features been similar), spoke quietly.

"Are you looking for Eren?" Levi's eyes scanned over the few remaining people, all bundled up and trying to stay warm.

There were two huddled close, one a bald kid with a dripping nose that had Levi cringing. The girl standing beside him had long, brunette hair and big, brown eyes nearly covered by her bangs. Her beige hat looked so tight around her head that her hair stuck up in the back.

The other two, the one Levi had mistaken for Armin, was bundled up tight and in the arms of a very tall and thin girl with short, spiky hair. She looked utterly intimidating, with an aura that simply dared anyone to mess with her, or more so the girl within her arms.

This was a very odd bunch of people if Levi had to admit. Eren had a weird taste in friends.

"Yeah," The freckled boy said.

"Come on in. He's in the living room." Levi told them and opened up the door further. They all seemed grateful, if not for the fact they could stand in a warm room for a few minutes other than knowing they didn't have the wrong house.

"Thank you," The blonde haired man (The tall one with muscles that screamed he had a massive ego), said to him and patted his shoulder in passing. Levi flinched, his frown deepening.

Did he think he was a kid?

"Sorry, we should have put him on a leash." Spoke up a person standing behind the freckled boy, and how Levi hadn't noticed him before he wasn't sure. He had two-toned hair, a long face, and a snarky smirk that he had the itching desire to smack off of him. What was that from?

"Not a problem." Levi said and shut the door once everyone was inside. Eren looked back when prompted by the door, his golden eyes suddenly widening in surprise.

"You guys..." He uttered, looking from them to Levi with an expression that asked, "Why did you let them in?"

Had he made a mistake?

"Hi Eren..." The freckled boy spoke up as he pulled his arms to his chest. "Do you... Uhm... Your notebook?"

"Levy..." Eren said and looked to the man.

"Do you have your notebook?" Levi asked for him and signed.

_"Could you translate for me?"_

That was odd. Usually Eren was more than willing to write in his notebook, and right now he seemed to have an attitude about it. What was it about these people he wasn't happy with?

"... Sure," He replied skeptically. "I guess I'm your translator for now." Levi told his friends.

"Oh, that's great." The teen replied.

"What are you guys doing here?" Eren suddenly asked out loud. Levi looked at him in surprise, confused by the sudden venom on his tone. It was still a rare occurrence to hear him speak a full sentence, but to hear him snap at a person that wasn't his sister? That was unheard of.

"We wanted to see you." The bald teen spoke. "It's been forever since we've hung out, and Sasha was worried about you when we heard you were in the hospital."

Levi's fingers struggled to keep up with the man's words, but he managed for his boyfriend.

"It only took you an extra week to see me afterwards, right?"

What was the point of Levi translating for them if Eren was going to keep talking?

"Hey, shithead, it's not easy getting everyone together. We've all got jobs and school to deal with." The tall girl spoke bitterly.

"You want to repeat that one more time?" The older man questioned, glaring daggers at her.

Who was this girl to stand there and call his boyfriend names?

At first she opened her mouth, as if ready to repeat herself. She hadn't realized, however, that he meant it as a threat and not an actual request until she looked at him. Eyes beady and glaring at her, threatening her very existence.

Her mouth closed quickly.

"Ymir, please be nice." The blonde girl spoke to her.

"But Christa-" The girl, now known as Ymir, started, but was quickly stopped.

"No," She said affirmatively. "We're here to see our friend, not have an argument."

"Christa is right. We shouldn't be fighting..." The girl Levi deemed as "Sasha" said and looked over to the brunette. "We're sorry, Eren..."

"You think I don't have school? You think I don't have work either?"

"Are you saying you got a job?" The teen with that annoying smirk asked, his tone dropping with a laugh.

"I do... At least I did..."

"I didn't know you started working, Eren." The tall blonde said.

"You would if you tried texting me once in a while."

"Eren, slow down." Levi told him. It was getting harder keep up with the quickly growing conversation.

"Sorry..." He apologized with a pout. Levi could tell that this conversation was getting to him. After all, it wasn't often Eren spoke frequently to people, and the man could tell by the way it left him a little breathless that it was effecting him.

He didn't like seeing him this way. Compared to the sight of him in a hospital, he hated the sight of Eren so upset. This wasn't his usual, cheerful brat. This was someone pissed off, and for what? Was it for another reason, or was it really because his friends didn't ever visit him?

Levi could understand how he felt. Eren complained about his lack of life, friends being the only option to having some freedom and fun. If they weren't helping him live, he must have felt like he'd been stabbed in the back, and who wouldn't?

"... We're sorry, Eren..." Christa spoke once more.

"It's fine..." Eren must have read her lips, because he didn't give Levi the time to sign it.

It fell quiet. The man kept his eyes on Eren and waited, expecting more from the teen. Wasn't he going to say something else? Wasn't he going to look that them, or even talk to them? They may not have been there before, but they were now. They were trying, but that didn't seem to be enough for him.

"Uhm..." The freckled boy began, breaking the silence. "I'm sorry, we're being really rude here."

The words weren't directed to Eren, but to Levi himself.

"Huh...?"

"I'm Marco," The teen introduced himself and held out a gloved hand. Levi reached up and took it carefully, feeling a subtle shiver in the kid's bones.

"I'm Levi. Nice to meet you." He said.

"This is my boyfriend, Jean." Marco said and motioned to the teen behind him. Hadn't Eren mentioned something about a kid named Jean that he really didn't like? "And that's Ymir and Christa."

"Nice to meet you," Christa said in a relieved tone. She must have appreciated Marco's idea of introduction.

"Connie and Sasha are right there, and this is Reiner-" Marco continued on while motioning to the others, but stopped short when noticing that the muscled man was gone. "Reiner...?"

"Sorry, sorry," The man suddenly appeared from the kitchen, and when he even went there no one was sure. "I got a glass of water. The tension in here was too pissy to handle."

"Too  _pissy_..." Levi uttered to himself. He was sure that was the first time he'd heard it put that way before.

"You could at least ask." Jean mentioned, but the brute simply shrugged his shoulders.

"You said your name was Levi?" Marco asked him, trying to keep the peace within the group.

"Yeah," Eren's eyes followed their lips, but Levi managed to continue signing to the best of his abilities. He didn't think he'd be put to the test like this today, but it was good practice.

"So are you an interpreter of sorts for Eren? Or an aid?"

"No, I'm his boyfriend." Levi stated bluntly.

He felt the sudden splattered of water on the back of his neck along with the sound of someone spitting in surprise. Both he and Eren jumped back and turned around, Levi wiping the back of his neck off in disgust as he saw Reiner cleaning off his mouth.

"Reiner!" Eren yelled at him and used his sweater to wipe at his head. "What was that for?"

"I'm sorry. I think I didn't hear that right..." Reiner apologized.

"No, you heard me right. I'm his boyfriend, and if you spit on me again I'm tossing you out." Levi growled, still feeling disgusting that someone had the nerve to touch him with their gross germs.

"No, no, he won't do that." Marco assured and motioned for the blonde to put his cup down, which he did. "We're just... Surprised. Eren's never dated anyone before."

"Why...?" Levi asked as he looked at the equally surprised faces of his friends. He knew the answer already, but he wanted to hear what they had to say.

"Well..."

"You don't need to hold it in, Marco." Jean interrupted. "It's because he's deaf."

"Jean!" Christa blurted out.

"Well it's true!" He argued.

"So...? I don't see much of a point to your statement." Levi said.

This must have been why Eren didn't like Jean. He was too blunt, too annoying, and that smirk. Damn that smirk. It was irritating him to no end.

"Well-"

"Jean, don't." Reiner stopped him. "Don't poke the bear."

"How long have you been dating?" Marco asked, desperate to help the situation. Anyone could see that he was bothered by this talk.

Levi looked over to Eren and signed for him. The teen thought about it for a moment, trying to think back to how long it had been since he met Levi. Would it count if he thought back to the exact day they met? It probably was on the day they went on their first date, not so much when they met.

"Uhm... A little more than six months... I think..." He answered, noticing the small smile pulling apart Levi's lips.

"Oh...?" The freckled teen sounded in surprise. "It hasn't been that long since we've seen you, has it?"

"You would know if you bothered trying to talk to me..." Eren uttered before standing up. "Go home..."

And with that, the brunette walked out of the room.

"Wait, Eren!" Connie called after him.

"Eren-..." Levi began, but he stopped. He knew Eren wouldn't hear them, and that was probably fine with the brunette. He was tired of talking with them.

"He's not going to hear you." Jean spoke up.

"Jean, stop it!" Marco barked at him. "It's not nice!"

"I just don't see the point of denying it. It's true, and beating around the bush isn't going to change anything."

Well, he was right on that. Unfortunately. There was no point ignoring the fact that Eren couldn't hear. Trying to pretend that wasn't the truth would only make it worse, and Levi knew that from personal experience. However, the way the teen went about saying it was really pissing him off.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome." Levi uttered and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "I'm sure you know where the door is. I don't need to show you out."

He needed to talk to Eren. He needed to make sure he was alright. He knew how the brat felt when he was constantly reminded of his disability, which was probably why he was so upset to begin with. These people he called his friends (or maybe he didn't) were only painful reminders of his disability, and right now he needed comfort.

"We're sorry for intruding..." Christa apologized somberly. Everyone else looked too bummed out by this to say anything more, instead turning on their heels to leave. Marco lingered though, waiting for the others to leave to give himself a moment with the older man.

"Levi... Sir..." He mumbled quietly, hearing the voice of his friends filtering outside.

"Yes...?"

"Could you tell Eren that I'm sorry? I didn't meant to let him down like that..." Marco requested of him, his lips turned down in a frown.

Levi looked up at him, eyes narrowing as he tried to decide if what the teen was saying was true. This one was different from the others. He wasn't like Jean or Ymir. He and Christa, even Sasha and Connie seemed genuinely worried and upset for his boyfriend.

"I can do that..." Levi assured him.

"And please... Take care of him." Marco added. "Eren's never had a relationship before, and he's too stubborn and single minded to handle an extensive one. Because you're here must mean you're important to him, so please... Take care of him..."

Levi didn't even get a chance to reply to any of that before Marco hurried and followed after the others.

At first he wondered what he meant by stubborn and single minded. Of course Eren was stubborn. Since day one he had been like that, so it wasn't something the older man could disagree with. Then he thought about the single mindedness.

Well, if he thought about it hard enough, he could see what Marco meant. Obviously Eren had a one track mind at times. If he were adamant about something, he wouldn't drop it until he got something out of it. That was just how he was.

He had to remember that Eren's friends did know him better. They knew things about him Levi had yet to learn. They had been around longer after all, so Marco knew what he was talking about.

_'Please... Take care of him...'_

What made Marco think that he wouldn't? Because he hadn't had a real relationship before? Because he was dating a man older than him? Because he was dating a  _man_? No, that wouldn't be it. Marco was with a guy himself, so that shouldn't have been a problem.

The list was probably endless.

Levi sighed before standing, hands grabbing at the cup of the cooled hot chocolate that had been ignored in their previous activities. With that in hand, he went straight to Eren's room to confront the teen.

The door was shut, but after a quick knock, he heard a sound of confirmation from inside. Levi opened the door slowly, peeking inside to find his boyfriend sitting on his bed, kneels pulled up to his chest, face hidden behind them, and arms wrapped around him. He didn't look up at the man when he walked in, but something told the older man that the brunette already knew who he was.

Eren had that weird way of knowing.

"What do you want?" Eren asked from behind his legs. Levi sat on the edge of the bed, setting the mug aside on the floor so he wouldn't accidentally spill it.

He waited. He waited for what felt like an eternity, because he couldn't answer Eren until he looked at him. Sooner rather than later, those golden eyes he loved lifted and looked up past his bangs. He just had to double check and make sure it was Levi and no one else.

"What...?" He asked again.

"Marco wanted me to tell you that he's sorry for letting you down..." Levi told him as he leaned back into the wall. "They left though. You don't have to worry."

Eren sighed as he leaned back, his head tilting back and bumping into the drywall.

 _"... Marco is a good guy. I didn't mean to blow up on him... On any of them..."_  His face fell.  _"Except for Jean. He's a dick."_

"That's a given..." Levi spoke softly.

_"It's just... I love those guys, I do, but whenever I'm around them, I'm just reminded more and more of my disability. I'm reminded that I'm not like them anymore, and it hurts."_

"I understand..." The older man said and touched his shoulder.

_"I know they don't do it on purpose. Everyone, especially Marco and Christa, try really hard to make me feel equal. If Bertholdt was here I'd say the same about him too. They try so hard, but... I think that's what makes it all the more painful."_

"You have some good friends..." Levi told him as Eren leaned into his shoulder.

 _"I know I do..."_  He looked up with those big, golden eyes of his, seemingly reading the expression on the man's face.  _"It's my fault too. I didn't bother to send them any messages myself, so I'm partly to blame."_

"Well, that's in the past now. All you can do is live differently so you won't regret anything later." He advised him. Eren sighed as he looked at the older man's hands, finding them soft and comforting. Levi's hands always moved so gracefully, which said something compared to when he first started.

 _"I'm sorry about earlier."_ Eren signed to him.  _"It was selfish of me to bring you into the middle of that. I shouldn't have done that to you."_

"It's alright. Honestly, I was just surprised hearing you talk so much." Levi said, his lips pulling into one of those rare and sweet smiles, not a mocking smirk. "Your voice is nice."

"Shut up..." Eren grumbled and looked away, his cheeks flushing a light red.

Levi chuckled before sitting up, effectively pushing the teen up an off of him. He didn't get the chance to question the man before he all but shoved him down onto the bed, shoulders pinned to the mattress and hands at his sides uselessly.

"What-?"

"You know..." Levi began with something in his eyes that Eren couldn't read, but he had a bad feeling about this. "We never did get to finish what you started earlier."

Or maybe not.

"Who said I started it?" Eren asked with a scoff, fingers trailing off from his sentence to lift and hold that man's shoulders.

"I was perfectly content drawing until you started humping my leg." Levi stated abruptly, but before Eren could tell him that no, he hadn't humped his damn leg, Levi swooped in for a messy kiss.

The brunette groaned into the kiss, but not from pleasure. It was out of annoyance that the man could do such things to him before Eren could properly explain himself, but those lips sucking on his bottom lip had all cognizant thought processes sizzling out, and any arguments died on his tongue as it slithered past the man's lips.

Levi pulled the teen's legs around his waist, making sure he was firmly in place before trailing kisses around his jaw and down his neck and-

"Eren...!"

Levi pulled away abruptly at the sound of another voice in the house. He sat up, letting Eren's arms fall by his hips awkwardly.

"Levy...?" Eren asked, already breathless.

"Armin's home." Levi told him somberly.

Eren sat on his elbows, waiting for any confirmation to Levi's words. Sure enough, he could feel the house shake with a door slamming shut, followed by a sound similar to one of someone throwing a bag, possibly his backpack even.

"Ugh! Why is he home early?" Eren asked dejectedly as he fell back onto bed.

Looks like this was going to have to be put on hold for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Never said sexy time wouldn't be interrupted...


	27. Inspiration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so you know I don't post on weekdays while school is ongoing. I am fully aware of this, so this will be a one time thing. I didn't post yesterday and I felt terrible for doing that to you guys when Lost Cause gets so much of my attention, and with the large wait for an update here, I felt so guilty. So here is a new update, as an apology and in hopes that you don't totally hate me. ^^' I know the story is slow, but I'm getting to the point where things are starting to come together the way I want them to again. We're about to hit some plot again soon and the story will kick back into gear, so if you're still out there--! *Crickets sounds* ... Thank you for being so patient, and I'll be sure to give you all lots of love and smut! :D
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

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**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

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**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


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**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Inspiration**

* * *

Silence had settled over his apartment, but for once he found it annoying.

Whenever he tried to draw or paint many years ago, silence was golden. Silence meant clarity in his thoughts and a clear picture of what it was he wanted. Now it meant his thoughts drifted to other important or not so important things instead of the sketchbook in his hands.

Why was this so difficult now? The first painting he made for Erwin's wife came out of thin air, and he remembered he made it within a few days. It would have been sooner had he not needed to wait for paint to dry. Now here he was with a blank piece of paper, a pencil in his hand, and rough drafts crumpled up all around him on the couch and on the floor.

This was getting extremely annoying.

"Damn it..." He cursed his mind for not staying on topic, prepared to throw his sketchbook to the floor when his phone went off beside him. In the dense quiet, the sound was enough to make him slightly jump in place, but he ignored the motion and reached for his phone.

_Sender: Eren Jaeger_

_Received at: 1:13 p.m._

_"I'm coming over."_

"What...?" Levi questioned out loud. He was in the right frame of mind to call him, but quickly remembering Eren wouldn't have heard him stopped his fingers from dialing his number.

_Draft_

_Written at 1:14 p.m._

_"Don't you dare do that without Mika-"_

There was a sudden knock at his front door, stopping him mid text. The older man looked up from his phone to glare at his door, a heavy sigh slowly leaving his body. He had a feeling he knew who that was, but there was a part of him that didn't want to believe it.

Knowing Eren, it was probably him.

The man stood and went to open his front door. Sure enough, the brunette stood behind it, a large smile on his face and golden eyes gleaming. His cheeks were dusted a light pink, but Levi figured that was from the cold outside and not anything more. At least that's what he figured.

"Hi Levy..." He greeted and stepped forward. Levi stepped back to let him in, but his eyes stared down the teen with everything he had.

"Eren..." He uttered lowly and shut the door. The teen looked back at him and smiled, seemingly unaffected by his glare.

"Hi," He said again.

"Does Mikasa or Armin know you're here?" The older man asked. Eren paused for a moment to think about that. That should have been enough of an answer.

 _"... I left a note?"_ He said skeptically.

"You know it's me that hears the end of this, right?" Levi asked him.

 _"But I haven't seen you in week, Levi! I miss you..."_ Eren pouted, his big eyes widening and bottom lip sticking out.

"Eren, that is doing the exact opposite of what you want it to do." Levi told him before placing a hand around his waist and guiding him into the living room.

 _"So what are you doing?"_ Eren asked him, his eyes scanning the room curiously. He couldn't remember the last time he had been in Levi's apartment, but he definitely didn't remember the crumpled up papers scattered on the floor. _"Are you drawing?"_

"Yeah, I'm working on something for Erwin. You know, Armin's new boss?"

"Yeah," Eren hummed as he bent down to pick up and unfurl the pieces of paper.

"How is his new job fairing anyway?"

 _"Good. Armin loves it there."_ Eren answered distractedly, eyes scanning over the first sketch he found. _"This is beautiful..."_

"Thanks, but it's not what I want..."

 _"Not what you want?"_ The brunette questioned skeptically. _"How so?"_

"I don't know..." Levi dropped back onto the couch, his hands picking up his sketch pad to look at his previous work. It just wasn't right though, and with irritation, he tore the page out and tossed it to the side.

Eren's curious mind flickered to life, his eyes looking over the paper to see what it was he had been working on. On the paper was a picture of a bridge, a small one sitting over a small brook. There wasn't much in detail, giving Eren the idea that he had just started it, but it was already a piece of work that took his breath away.

 _"What makes you not like this one?"_ Eren asked, truly confused. How could he not like this picture?

"You know..." Levi began. Eren picked up the rest of the fallen pages and set them down on the couch as he sat beside him, hoping the man would change his mind about the pictures and keep them. "Back when I was young, I didn't do this for money or for others. I painted what I wanted to, because it helped clear my mind. It was Farlan who told me to take it to college and make something of myself."

"Oh...?" Eren hummed.

"Drawing under pressure really sucks ass. I didn't like doing this as an assignment, I didn't like commissions, and I don't like doing it for others. I did it to get the ideas out of my head and that was it, like how you write to get the voices out of your head." Levi explained. He remembered once that Eren spoke about his writing in an odd way, but he felt like he understood. He felt that way when he had an idea or mental image that he couldn't get rid of. When there was an idea in his mind it had to come out, and nothing else would get done until it was on paper.

The joys of being an artist.

 _"What made you stop again...?"_ Eren questioned. If he thought about it hard enough, he couldn't remember a time that Levi had spoken of stopping.

"I stopped when times got tough. Isabel was sick, and I couldn't afford things like paint and canvas. The only reason I have it now is because Erwin got it for me. If not, I wouldn't be doing it..."

 _"So you feel like you can't draw because it's for someone else?"_ The teen looked to him with a slight frown. He understood, and that was why he felt the sudden worry for his boyfriend.

He was still suffering.

"Right. When I made that portrait for his wife the first time, it was actually something based off of something I saw. One of those inspiration slapping you across the face type of deals."

_"So then why not make something similar then?"_

"I can't. I can't remember what the picture looks like to save my life." Levi leaned back into the couch, a sigh escaping him as he tilted his head back. He felt Eren scoot close, and soon enough the warmth of his body was present as he leaned into his side.

 _"Let me ask you something..."_ Eren said softly while tossing crumpled up pages to the coffee table.

"What...?"

 _"When you think of Erwin's wife, what do you imagine?"_ Eren asked, fingers grazing the sketch pad once he was finished.

"What do I _imagine_?" Levi asked.

_"Yeah. When she comes to mind, does she resemble a flower or the sky? Do abstract colors come to mind? Or do you think of solid colors?"_

"I don't think about that stuff when it comes to her." Levi retorted. "She's a very sweet, happy woman. She always worries for others before herself and took great care of her friends."

 _"And what does that make you think of?"_ Eren asked.

"It makes me think of... I don't know. Something happy." Levi ran his fingers through his messy fringe (Messy because he'd been doing this all day) and sighed. "I know the first picture wasn't like that though. It had something to do with when they were on a date."

 _"On a date...?"_ Eren's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah. They took me on a date with them, because they didn't want me being alone at home. I just ended up being a third wheel, but I remember seeing them walking down the street ahead of me, and I remembered the way they looked at each other... I remember realizing at that moment that they were in love. I felt like I just saw their whole relationship play out before me and I knew those two were going to be together for a good, long time."

 _"That sounds really sweet..."_ Eren mused with a smile as Levi's eyes widened.

"Wait... That's what the painting was..." He uttered in astonishment before picking up his sketchbook. "I drew a picture of them from their date. It was..."

Levi's voice trailed off, his mind going blank to everything around him so he could put the missing pieces of the puzzle back together to see the picture. He didn't even remember that Eren wouldn't hear his incessant mumbling.

It was right there, just barely showing itself in his mind. He knew what it was. It was just a matter of getting it back onto paper.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled.

"Huh...?" Levi questioned and looked up for a split moment.

_"You know what you should do? I think it's a good idea to make the painting of them again, but you should add his kids too."_

"His kids...?" Levi asked.

_"Yeah. Armin says he has two of them. Expand on the painting to show the growth of their family for his wife."_

"... That's actually brilliant." The older man uttered in surprise. "Why can't you use that brains of yours on your school work?"

"Hey..." Eren whined. He just got done with his work, and quite frankly he didn't want to continue on the dreaded subject.

"I know your grades are falling, Eren. Don't think I haven't gotten an earful from your sister." Levi told him before pulling out his phone.

_"It's not that I'm doing badly, because I don't know anything. I know the answers, I just..."_

"You just what?" The older man asked him after finishing a small text to Erwin, asking for pictures of his kids.

 _"... I don't want to do it anymore."_ He admitted hesitantly. _"Business... It's just not right for me."_

"Well that's obvious," The man said and leaned into the brunette.

"What...?" Eren growled in frustration.

"I know that what you're doing is just stalling for time until you know what you really want to do." Levi explained, watching golden eyes widen. Had he really thought he had been that sneaky about it? "I know what you want to do though."

_"You do...?"_

"Eren..." Levi reprimanded him with a harsh glare.

 _"I know, I know..."_ The brunette sighed and rested his head on Levi's shoulder.

"So what's stopping you from getting that book of yours published?"

_"There's no middle ground when it comes to writing. There's only two ways it can end. One, you become a really successful author, or two, you flop and end up owing more money than you make... What if that's the end I get?"_

"So...?" Levi asked. "Who says you're writing for others? Why not just do it, and if you become famous, that's good. If not, oh well. You never know until you try." Levi shrugged his shoulders again before picking up his sketch pad to begin the first few lines of his drawing. He needed it down while the images were still fresh in his mind.

_"I guess... Can you change majors though?"_

"Of course you can."

_"So far into the course though?"_

"Yeah."

_"But what abo-"_

"Eren." Levi stopped him by hitting Eren's knees with the sketch pad. "Do it. Stop torturing yourself with that business shit and do what you love. Take it from the old man you're dating. If you stick with that, you're going to regret it."

 _"... How do I tell Mikasa and Armin?"_ The brunette asked him with worried eyes.

"I'm not touching that subject." The older man rejected quickly.

"Wha- Levy!"

"What...? I may be old, but I'm not that old. I'm too young to die."

"Levy...!" Eren whined and dropped his head down on his shoulder.

"If you want my honest opinion, I think they'll be okay with it." The man assured him, finding it difficult to sign to the brat and draw at the same time. "Yeah, it's a giant and crazy idea, but they want what's best for you. If you want to focus on your writing, and that's what makes you happy, then I'm sure they'll be happy too."

"I guess..." Eren mumbled dejectedly. His eyes wandered to the sketch paper under Levi's busy hand, golden orbs following the pencil as it drew the ideas from the older man's mind. How he managed to replicate what he saw behind his eyes Eren could never know. His imagination usually brought about stick people hanging from a pole after a bad game of hangman.

Levi's hands made masterpieces though. Those fingers that slowly grew stronger from the amount of signing that he did were deft, gifted in pulling out the look of Armin's boss. For now, it was only a rough sketch, but it was just the beginning. Levi still needed the picture of his kids.

"So when do I get the next chapter of your story?" The older man stopped for a moment to sign his question to Eren.

_"What...? I told you, you can't read it anymore."_

"Why...? I want to know if Annie ever wakes up from that crystal thing, and what about those two other Titans? That big one and the one who broke through the gates. Are they like the Female Titan?"

 _"I'm not telling you, Levi! I'm not spoiling it for you!"_ Eren argued with the man, his arms crossing over his chest and eyes closing to show that he was done with this conversation.

Levi considered that a good thing.

The older man set his book down, pencil carefully set aside before turning on the couch and pouncing on his boyfriend. Eren yipped in surprise, the air knocked out of him as the man pushed him into the plush cushions of the couch and held down his arms. He looked up in shock, eyes trying hard to look at him in an annoyed manner, but he felt his resolve crumbling at the way the man's eyes looked down at him in such a heated way.

It had been a long time since he looked at him like that.

"Say, Eren..." Levi began and sat back, fingers signing, yet wanting to pull at the buttons of his jacket. "When do Armin and Mikasa get home?" He asked, and that was when he began pulling apart the buttons.

Eren stuttered, his body trembling as he began removing his jacket. Had it been this hot in the room?

"T-Today... What's today? Uhm..." The brunette tried desperately to cling to his words as Levi pulled his sweater out from under his pants, a warm hand running over his belly. "W-Wednesday... They come home later..."

"How late?"

"Uhm..." Eren shivered as his hand lifted higher. He was lost between the warm, pleasant feeling of that hand to the cold, unforgiving air biting at his skin as his shirt lifted from his skin. The multiple sensations were sending him into a sort of shock, body convulsing into the older man's touch.

How long had it been since they had done this? When was the last time they had enough time to themselves to fool around without the interruptions of his family or friends?

Come to think of it, it had been a while. The last time they had done anything was a few weeks ago, which they could never finish, and the only time they had gotten to do anything to the end was when they were trapped in the store.

It was pathetic really how long it had been.

"How _late_ , Eren?" Levi's lips kissed the skin of his naval, feeling the intake of air and the sudden gasp, feeling those muscles constrict beneath him.

"Armin... S-Seven thirty, Mikasa at nine." Eren stuttered, trying desperately to remember his own name let alone when he needed to be home.

"Perfect..." Levi sighed against his skin. He felt the sudden brush of Eren's jeans against his neck, the obvious erection beneath those pants already prominent. At any other time, maybe the idea of having a boner so quickly from just a little teasing would be embarrassing, but Levi wouldn't deny that he had one too. It had been too long, and he needed some form of relief before he lost his mind.

"L-Levy..." Eren shivered, a heat suddenly settling in his stomach.

Levi's fingers trailed over his stomach once more, momentarily and teasingly tugging on the waist band of his jeans before going lower, tracing the outline of his erection under his pants. Eren breathed in deeply, hands clenching the pillow under his head tightly.

The sight of him alone was enough to have Levi's mind going hazy. He hadn't thought that going this long without the sight of Eren squirming to his touch, breathing his name and panting in that way would affect him, but he was so wrong. He needed it. He needed it a lot more than he was willing to admit, but he was willing to get it.

No more chances for interruptions. No more friends to get in the way or family to come home. It was just them at his apartment, so there were no more setbacks.

"Eren..." He breathed before pulling at the button and zipper of his pants. He pulled just slightly, only enough to expose the heated length, but not enough so that it was completely free. Like this, he grabbed at it and stroked the heavy organ with firm, quick strokes.

"F-Fuck..." Eren's hips stuttered before thrusting up into his hand. When he realized that Levi had no qualms about this, he continued pushing his hips up into that hot hand, body aching at the touch. He felt a burn in his stomach, body suddenly sweating and limbs weak. It really had been too long, because he felt as if anymore would do him in for good.

He couldn't let that happen, at least not yet. Levi had to get something out of this too.

"L-Levy... You t-too..." He panted heavily before reached for the older man's belt.

"You don't have too..." Levi whispered, but Eren wasn't looking directly at him. He wouldn't have understood him regardless, and yet Levi felt that was on purpose.

The brunette managed to pull the belt off in record time, followed by the button and zipper of his own pants. He tugged, pulling his pants down his hips until his cock was completely free, and only then did he begin kneading the flesh between his hands.

The last time they had done this, they had been in the dark. With the lights off, they had been confident enough to explore and touch and feel without judgment, but now was different. Now it was mid-day, broad daylight seeping in through the curtains, the TV in the background turned on, but on mute. There was so much light, and Eren couldn't help but feel self-conscious about himself.

They were two totally different people, so it was a given that their bodies were different. Eren would never consider himself overly confident, but damn did Levi make him feel small. He wasn't, but Levi was definitely thicker than he was. It was intimidating to say the least.

How had that thing really gotten inside of him so easily?

"Hey, Eren..." Levi could tell by the look on his face that he was distracted, if not a little frightened. Using that to his advantage, the older man pushed his hips forward, brushing their cocks together and creating a friction that had the brunette suddenly whimpering. Levi moved his hand out of the way, but only so he could have a firm grasp of both of them before rubbing them together.

"Aha, L-Lev..." Eren rolled his hips up into his touch, hands lifting to instead tangle into his hair and hold onto him. He pulled down, brining Levi in for a kiss that wasn't rejected. Their mouths slotted together just right, tongues gracing together and dancing.

Shit, this really was going to end fast.

Eren moaned into his mouth, nails scrapping against his scalp ever so slightly, but accidentally. He felt the coil in his stomach tightening again, growing hotter and stronger. Any more and he felt like he would lose his mind.

Just as he thought that, Levi's hand pushed back into his shirt, fingers tugging at a pert nipple. His lips left him, but only for a moment before they started sucking below his ear. Eren's back arched into the touch, neck bowed, and just a few more steady strokes was it for him.

"L-Lev- _y_!" He couldn't even get his name out properly before his body went stiff, lips parted, but air trapped in his throat.

Levi felt his hot fluids slipping between his fingers, creating a decent lubricant to finish himself off. His voice cracked at a rather high pitched moan, body taut for a few moments as he came. It wasn't until the burning sensation in his cock ceased that he dropped down onto Eren's body, ignorant of the come between them probably staining their clothes. For once he was too tired to care, and too tired to worry that they had finished a lot faster this time around than the first.

"Le..."

Levi lifted his head at what sounded like a gargled version of his name. He looked up to see those golden eyes he loved so much closed gently, his skin damp with sweat, and completely relaxed. In fact, he looked like he was dozing off.

With his clean hand, the older man brushed his hair from his face, feeling the heat of his skin, enjoying the flush of his cheeks.

He was too damn cute.

"Eren...?" Levi called out his name quietly. He wasn't looking for a response, just a confirmation that he was falling asleep, and he was.

Carefully, so as not to wake him, Levi sat up and off of his body. He tucked himself back into his pants before getting up on wobbly legs and going to get a warm washcloth. He came back quickly after washing his hands, and with the damp cloth, he used it to first pat at his forehead. Eren's lips pulled into a tired smile in his sleep before Levi moved on to clean up the bodily fluid on his stomach, glad to see it hadn't gotten on his clothes. He couldn't say the same about himself though, seeing the hem of his shirt splotched.

Once again he was surprised to see he didn't care.

The older man sighed to himself before disposing the dirty wash cloth. He'd already tucked Eren away with his clothes and a heavy blanket that had been resting on the side of the couch. Like that, Eren was nicely secured, fast asleep, and looking cuter than he should have at the moment.

The man sat down on the floor, ignoring the couch so he couldn't wake up the brunette. He picked up his sketchpad again, as well as his pencil, and looked at the paper with scrutiny. His older pictures didn't compare, the ideas no longer fresh in his mind. He needed a better idea, a better picture in his mind.

Leave it to Eren to be both the inspiration and distraction from his work.

The older man set his sketchpad down in his lap and looked behind him, grey eyes peering at the sleeping teen. He rolled over onto his side, cuddling into the thick blanket and face peeking out from behind the fleece.

What was this kid doing to him?

"Brat…" Levi scoffed before his phone vibrating pulled his attention away. The man rolled his eyes before grabbing it and looking at it.

_Fourteen new text messages._

Levi frowned before opening up one of them. He barely got to see the picture of Erwin's little girl, all grown up since the last time he had seen her, before another one came in. A picture of his son. Levi got to see this one for a little longer before another one came in.

And then another, and then another.

"Oh no…"

What had he done?


	28. Pay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize... To Nile. Nile! I'm stealing your wife! I might need her for another chapter. Not sure yet. :3 Also, despite that, I had a long and heavy internal struggle as to the name of Erwin's daughter, because it was becoming a pain just saying "Erwin's daughter" or "the child" in the story. So please be gentle on the hate towards her name. ^^'
> 
> And another thing... I have, like, noooooooo idea what the hell I said in the last chapter to possibly make a few of you think that Levi had somehow slept with Erwin's daughter and they had kids. Like, I saw that conversation, and ooh my goodness. No no. Erwin's daughter is six. The joke was that Erwin started sending him a butt load of pictures, because he likes to show off his children (One of those dads). I am soooooo sorry if I somehow alluded to the fact there was some secret affair, but oh my god no. I am so sorry. Y_Y
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Pay**

* * *

Levi waited at the door, painting in hand, though wrapped up under a tarp to keep the elements away. Bundled up in his heavy winter jacket, he swore his heart was trying to free itself from its confines, nerves settling in despite his inner thought process.

It's just one dinner. One dinner with two old friends. What was the problem?

The problem was that he felt nervous. Not for the dinner or meeting up with Erwin and his wife. No, that wasn't it. It was of the painting under his hands.

How long had it been since he'd completed a painting? Almost a decade? That didn't sound right, but thinking back to it now, it made sense. It had been that long since Isabel's passing, since Farlan's murder, and with it, all previous works went in the garbage, finished or not. It had been that long since he bothered to draw, to pick up a paintbrush and make something worthy of someone else's attention. To make matters worse, had it not been for Eren's idea a few weeks back, the painting would have been almost an exact copy. The only difference was the children in the painting, which, now that he listened in, could be heard inside the big house.

"I got it!" A young voice shouted behind the door, but Erwin's voice came through before it opened.

"What did I tell you about opening the door for strangers?" There was Erwin in home attire, staring down at a young brunette with big, blue eyes who only managed the height of his mid-thigh.

"Don't." She answered and looked down at her feet, as if in guilt.

"That's right," Erwin agreed before looking up at Levi, his lips stretching in a smile. "Levi! Glad you could make it!"

"Who am I to ignore an invitation for dinner?" Levi asked and stepped inside when Erwin stepped back.

"Well you ignored the first one." The blonde man uttered and shut the door behind him.

"Snow kicked my cars ass. How could I-?"

Levi was interrupted by the sound of Erwin's daughter gasping, her finger suddenly pointing up to him in feigned disgust.

"You swore! You swore!" She yelled at him before tugging on Erwin's pant leg. "Daddy! He swore! He has to put money in the swear jar!"

"You heard her. Twenty five cents to the swear jar, Levi." Erwin told him. Levi rolled his eyes before bending down to be at eye level with the child.

"... You aren't Emma, are you?" Levi asked, his eyes narrowing. The little girl seemed taken aback by his harmless expression, suddenly fleeing to hide behind her father's leg. "The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny thing who could barely hold a spoon. When did you get so big?"

"Honey, don't be rude. It's just Uncle Levi. Don't you remember him?" Erwin asked and moved his leg out of the way.

"Don't you remember me?" Levi asked and forced a pout, his bottom lip sticking out in a frown.

There was no possible way this child could remember him. She was just a baby when Erwin and his wife left. She hadn't even hit her first birthday by the time they were gone, so she would never remember him. However, the brunette stared at him for a moment, her eyes going between him and her bangs, trying to hide behind them. It looked as if they had just been freshly cut, which meant there was nothing for her to hide behind. What a shame really.

"... U-Uncle Levy...?" She stuttered in question, but out of actual recognition or not he wasn't sure.

Oh yeah. This was the other person who called him that.

"How many times do I have to tell you that it's Levi?" The older man asked before scooping her up into his arms. She squealed out laughter, arms clinging around the older man's shoulders so she wouldn't fall, but soon she was getting showered in kisses that tickled just about every ticklish spot on her.

"Well don't be shy, Levi." Erwin said before a gentle hand on his back directed him further into the house.

"L-Levy! We can play with my new doll house I got!"

"You got a new doll house?" Levi asked, trying to humor the child.

"And then we can play cowboys!"

"I'm too old for that, sweetie." He told her.

"Come on, Uncle Levy!" She whined, those blue eyes of hers growing wide in a pout.

"It's been a while since I've heard someone call you that," Erwin said with a chuckle.

"I hear it just about every day from Eren." The older man told him.

"Your boyfriend calls you Levy? That's so adorable..."

"He can't hear himself pronounce my name wrong." He excused.

"Well did you ever bother to correct him about it?"

"... N-No, not yet."

The blonde man shot him a smug look as they walked into the kitchen.

"Well then you have nothing to complain about." Erwin told him.

The house was bigger than Levi thought, but thinking about the recent addition to Erwin's family gave it some sense. If it weren't for him directing the older man, he would have been utterly lost as to where to go besides walk around aimlessly.

They had to walk around through a separate room, right now holding boxes until they knew what to do with them, to get to the kitchen.

White walls, granite counter tops, a large table in the middle of the room big enough to serve a family of twelve; it was the picturesque of a model home from a magazine.

"Wow..." Levi mused under his breath. He couldn't help but wonder how much he'd have to save up to be able to afford a place like this, and he wasn't about to ask. No need to get his hopes up.

"Mary, look who came for dinner," Erwin announced out loud to the woman at the stove. It had been a long time since Levi had seen the man's wife, but he could place those big brown eyes and that brunette hair anywhere. It was where his daughter got her looks from after all.

"Levi!" The woman cheered and set down the spoon she had been using to stir with. Levi let Emma down to accept a quick and brutal hug from the woman, because he knew how fast she was when it came to her excitement (another thing their daughter claimed). "It's been so long! How have you been?"

"I've been good. Can't really complain. What about you? You guys have a new baby on your hands, right?"

"Ah yes, our little man. He's actually taking a nap right now." She told him while looking him over, trying to find anything different about him.

"He should after keeping us awake for the past two nights." Erwin added in.

Levi really did feel bad for them, but he couldn't help the urge to smile at the idea.

"So he's like Erwin then?" Levi remarked sarcastically.

"Very much so. Eats like a pig too." Mary continued on, ignoring Erwin's protest. "Well come sit! We have so much to catch up on!"

"I'm sure we do," Levi allowed himself to be pushed towards the table and sat down, where a cup of water was then placed in front of him.

"It's been so long, and yet you don't look any different from when we met you." The woman mused. "Even your haircut is the same."

"It's just easy to take care of, but I've changed. I've got more wrinkles around my eyes now."

"No Levi, you're mistaking those frown lines of yours for wrinkles again." She argued, to which the blonde man laughed at him.

"Well what about you? You grew your hair out." The man told her while motioning to her long hair pulled back into a pony tail.

"Yeah, I was tired of short hair." She hummed. "But I'm thinking of cutting it shorter. Not as short as when we last saw each other, but short enough."

"Why...?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Because the little man is starting to grab. He's figuring out how to hold things and I can't keep my hair away from him." She said before reaching over to Erwin and pulling at one of his fingers. "I can't possibly imagine where he gets it from."

To that, Erwin's lips spread wide in a grin, eyes closing as if he feigned ignorance to her statement.

"Eww," Levi remarked coldly.

"That's not what I meant by that, Levi." Mary scoffed before whacking his arm with that brute strength of hers. That obviously hadn't changed.

The older man rubbed at his arm, feeling the sting and knowing that it was going to leave a bruise the next day. He tried his hardest to glare at the woman, but found it difficult. She looked too happy for words to speak, too relaxed to bring her down. The way she sighed, her hand resting on her cheek while she looked over to her husband as if nothing in the world could ruin this moment. This one, quiet, _perfect_ moment.

"I'm glad you guys are back." Levi suddenly spoke up his inner thoughts. "Life was lonely without you."

"You haven't been alone this whole time, have you?" Erwin's wife inquired. "No family, no friends?"

"Levi got himself a boyfriend." Erwin told her and wiggled his thick eyebrows.

"You what?" She gaped in surprise.

"Why is this such a shock to everyone?" The man asked while shrugging his shoulders. "Yes, I have a boyfriend. Why is that such a surprise?"

"Because it's _you_ , Levi." Mary told him and placed a hand over his. "I didn't know you before Erwin, so I don't know of any possible flings you may have had in the past, but the only people you saw in your life were Isabel and Farlan. I mean, there were rumors that you and Farlan were married and Isabel was your adopted child."

"Wait, who started those?" The older man asked, disgruntled. He'd never heard those rumors before in his life.

"The point is, Levi, that you haven't cared for others the way you cared for them, and you never tried. If you're dating now, whomever it is, is extremely important to you." His wife explained.

"That's what I've been telling him," Erwin breathed in irritation. "But he's as stubborn as ever, and he never listens."

"Why did you marry him again?" Levi asked with a pointed thumb towards the blonde, desperate to change the subject. Mary chuckled before patting Levi's hand and standing.

"Behave. The food it almost done, so sit tight, okay?"

"Levi..." Erwin whispered and tapped at his arm. The man looked at him with a look of confusion before the blonde motioned back to the front door, to where Levi had set her gift down.

"Oh right... Be right back." He announced before standing and walking out of the room.

Mary didn't know he had done this, and Erwin hadn't seen the painting yet. He was probably just as excited to see it as she would soon be.

"Boo!"

He didn't find it scary, but at the sound of Emma's voice and her grabbing at his leg, he willingly jumped at her expense.

"You scared me," He lied. Emma cheered in excitement before clinging to his leg, her butt sitting comfortably on his foot for support.

"Uncle Levy, what's under the blanket?" She asked while shining those big eyes of hers to him.

"It's a present for your mommy and daddy." He explained while grabbing said item and waddling back towards the kitchen, child still holding onto his leg for dear life.

"Ohh! I like presents!"

"Do you now?" He feigned shock.

"I like presents, l-like toys, and ice cream, and ch-chocolate!" Levi tried to hide his amusement at the way she strained to say chocolate properly.

"Well, how about the next time I see you, I bring you all three? Provided your dad do-"

"Yay!" Emma suddenly cheered before he could finish his sentence. "I'm getting ice cream! I'm getting toys! I'm getting chocolate!" She began singing at the top of her lungs. She swung her body back and forth on Levi's leg, and mentally Levi thanked his lucky stars she wasn't on his bad leg. It had healed up well, but every now and again it gave him problems.

"What's this about gifts?" Emma continued to sing until they got back to the kitchen, where Erwin sat at the table with a questioning gaze.

"I told her I'd get her a present next time if you guys are okay with that." Levi started shaking his leg lightly in hopes she would let go, but the girl had an iron grip.

"Levy! Can I have the new princess doll from the store? The one with the really long hair?"

"That sounds like just about every princess out there." The older man remarked.

"Emma, get down from Uncle Levi's leg and go wash up for dinner, okay?" Mary told her.

The man was more than surprised to see the little girl do it at the first go, but he had a feeling that Mary was the type of mother who didn't take whining for an answer. If you said no, she didn't appreciate it. This much hadn't changed about her, but he was mildly surprised to know she taught her six year old this level of respect.

He exchanged a quick glance with Erwin, as if to say it was impressive what he had just seen. All the blonde could do was shrug his shoulders, as if he had seen nothing, yet he knew what he spoke of.

Maybe she had trained him like that as well.

"What's that, Levi?" The woman asked while setting down a small, roasted chicken on the table. The smell alone had his stomach rumbling, the sight of the seasoning against golden chicken and steam coming off of it enough to have him forget about the painting momentarily. Only momentarily though.

"Oh..." He looked back at Erwin one more time, as if to confirm that it was alright to show her the present. With a nod of the head in his direction, Levi braced himself for the worst, fingers tightening around the canvas. "Well... Erwin commissioned me to make something for you."

"Is it a painting?" Nothing escaped the woman, but that was a given. There wasn't much else he could provide for them. Her excitement meant something thankfully.

"He saw how upset you were when you had to leave the old one behind for Europe. So he asked if I could make you a new one..." He trailed off before holding out the painting for her. Mary set the stack of plates down on the table before wiping her greasy hands off on her apron and taking the painting. "I made it similar to the last, with the exception of a few things... But I don't know how good it is."

"If it's from you, it'll be prefect, just like the last one." Mary assured him while running her hands over the tarp, searching for the opening.

"It's been a very long time since I've done anything remotely close to this though. It's probably shit, just to warn you."

Thankfully Emma had walked out, or he would owe her another twenty five cents. Twenty five cents was a lot to him these last few months.

The woman shot him a disgruntled look before pulling the tarp away, turning the picture in her hands. Erwin stood from his chair to join her, to see what it was he had made, but by the time he had, she'd already had a hand to her mouth.

It was indeed similar to the last, with the exception of a few things.

It was no longer them alone in the painting, no longer their younger, spunkier selves, but the older, more matured versions that they were now. Standing near a bench at a park where Levi had once seen them walk, but this time, little Emma was between the two adults, holding both of their hands and in the motions of using them as a sort of swing. In Mary's free arm was their newborn son, barely old enough to show relatively close features to them. Levi would know after receiving a few dozen photos from Erwin, after asking for just a few, but he managed to capture their essence within the painting and bring it to life.

Unlike the last photo, this ones was set in winter. Snow covered the ground and trees in a heavy blanket, enough for their daughter to kick up and for him to emphasize with some different lighting effects. That had always been his favorite part of painting after all.

They were walking away in the photo, just like they had been in the past, but now with the two additions, one would see the growth from then to now, and how it could only go up from here.

The lighting, the atmosphere, the _aura_ the painting let off was nothing short of amazing. Just as Erwin had predicted of the man, and had expected nothing less from him.

"Incredible..." Erwin breathed in an odd mixture of relief and amazement. Looking over to his wife, the two of them saw the all too familiar tears that had been present when he gave her the first painting. Once again, she had been brought to tears by the painting. The first one didn't seem to bring about a sense of nostalgia or realization as this one did though. It must have been the sight of the children in the painting, the realization of the growth of their family, how far they had come since the day they had meant, ever present.

Erwin looked up to him and smiled, a small, approving smile that spoke volumes like this eyes.

' _You've done well'_ , it all spoke.

* * *

Dinner went by as smoothly as it could. Once they were able to find a proper place for the painting (and pull it from Mary's hands), hanging above the fireplace, they were able to eat.

Afterwards, they sat and relaxed for what felt like days. It was only an hour or so more, talking amongst themselves of the "good old days" as Levi so politely put it, and of what they did in Europe. They talked about the cultural differences and having to adjust, to put Emma in a school there. Of course now the six year old was fluent in both languages, which most couldn't say for their kids. They talked of the fun adventures Levi had here, which was nothing compared to their own, and working at the bookstore after dropping out of school.

They spoke of missing Isabel and Farlan, of the days they all hung out as young adults with not much to do with their lives. Well, the married couple spoke that way. Levi jokingly stated he wasn't young while in college, and hadn't been for years.

After reminiscing for a while, Levi decided it was time to go home. He told them he had been waiting for a call from a possible job, and he was hoping, praying really, that the employer had decided to call his house line instead of his cellphone. If not either, then it was a sure sign of dread and rejection.

He parted reluctantly with Emma. After she pouted, her bottom lip sticking out while she hugged the older man, he promised her he'd be back, and he'd be back with ice cream. She seemed satisfied with that answer and promptly let him go, making room for Mary to tearfully say goodbye. Once again he had to remind her that this wasn't goodbye. Now that they were back he planned on spending time with them, in hopes that it could help make up for lost time.

Erwin wasn't as emotional as the rest of his family. He simply helped him out the door, but stopped him before the man could head to his car.

"Hold on, Levi..." He stopped him and closed the door halfway. Levi waited for a moment, his eyes narrowing as the blonde pulled out an envelope from his back pocket and handed it to him.

"What is this?" He asked.

"That's just the money back for the supplies, and just a couple of bucks extra for your hard work." Erwin explained, his cheeks splitting in a mischievous grin.

"Erwin..." The older man reprimanded, his a disapproving tone.

"Oh look at that. The door is opening..." The man said in awe, as if this was the most entertaining thing he could possibly see right now. "And now it's closing..." He said before walking through it and shutting the door.

"Was that your creepy way of ending the conversation?" Levi asked loudly to be sure he heard him.

"Yes!" Came his reply from behind the door.

The older man sighed while rubbing at his temples, feeling the oncoming of a headache. Hadn't he suffered from migraines when he was young? Maybe it was Erwin's doing after all.

He walked back to his old beat up car and got inside, figuring the cold wouldn't help at this point. He shut the door, started the car, and turned the heat on full blast once the car was on. He leaned back in his seat and sighed, his body relaxed and his cares or concerns long gone. The painting was done and turned in, he'd seen his friends again, leaving him without any worries and the most calm he had been in a long time. He couldn't remember a time when he had felt so light, both metaphorically and physically.

Well no; that was a lie. He remembered feeling quite satiated after sleeping with Eren, but these were two totally different moments.

He sighed again before sitting up in his seat. It was going to take a while for the heat to actually spew out hot air, so there was no point in sitting here waiting for it. The faster he started driving, the faster it would kick in, but he stopped short of putting it into drive. His hand crumbled the envelope in his hand unconsciously before he sat back again and opened it. Inside was a check; no surprise there, but then his eyes saw the numbers written down on it.

The older man immediately shot out of his car and to the front door, car still on and completely ignored.

"Erwin!" Levi yelled and pounded his fist into the door. "Open the door!"

"You've reached the Smith residence! Sorry we can't answer the door right now, but please leave your name and number, and we'll try to get back to you as soon as we can!" Came the response from inside, obviously Erwin's.

"Erwin, open the damn door!"

"I got it! I got it!" Erwin's daughter suddenly called through the house. Levi scarcely heard the sounds of Erwin reprimanding her, but that wasn't until the door clicked unlocked and opened.

"What did I say about opening the door for strangers?" The man asked disparagingly of his daughter. She didn't look the least bit guilty, however.

"Erwin, I need to talk with you. _Outside_." Levi growled at the man.

"Outside? Where there aren't any witnesses?" Erwin question while taking a step back, but not quick enough. Levi reached out and snatched at his arm with a claw-like grip, making sure he wouldn't stray far.

"Mary! I'm borrowing your husband!" Levi called further into the house.

"Make sure he comes back in one piece!" She yelled out in response, her head poking through the doorway of the kitchen to see what was going on.

"I can't make any promises." Levi growled, particularly towards Erwin before tugging him out the door.

"Bye daddy!" His daughter called after them before shutting the door behind them. Then and only then did Levi release him, but not without shoving him a few feet forward first.

"Listen, Levi-!"

"Take it back." Levi demanded before shoving the check into Erwin's chest.

"Levi, I'm just paying you for the painting!" He argued.

"A couple of bucks is pay, Erwin! _A couple of bucks!_ Two thousand dollars doesn't constitute _a couple of bucks!_ " Levi barked.

"Your paintings are worth that much, if not more! I should be paying you way more than what that is, but I know how stubborn you are!"

"No, Erwin, I'm not taking it." Levi refused before crossing his arms over his chest in defiance. "You have a wife and two kids to feed. That money could be spent on something like hospital bills, or put away for college for Emma. I'm not taking it."

"You have to, Levi. Mary and I already decided on it."

"You what? Since when?"

"When Emma took you to her room to show you the dollhouse. We agreed on this." Erwin said while holding out the check.

"Erwin, how can you possibly do this when you have a family?" He asked with shrugged shoulders and a frown.

"I just got paid a pretty penny for the house back in Europe. We have a little extra to spend right now, and both she and I agreed it would be put to good use with you." The blonde pulled Levi's hand into his own and placed the check neatly into his palm, folded and all. "So please take it. Save it, spend it. Hell, I don't care what you do with it. You deserve it though, so please use it for something. Why not spend it on something special for Eren?"

Erwin's suggestion went through one ear and out the other as he winked to him.

"Get him something nice."

And with that and a pat to the man's shoulder, Erwin headed back into his house. Levi stood outside in the cold for a moment longer, eyes staring absently at the check.

Was Erwin stupid? What kind of date could Levi possibly think up that would need two thousand dollars? What item could he possibly get that was worth two thousand dollars? He was out of his mind.

It suddenly hit him, however, like a splash of ice cold water to the face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hello plot. How are you doing? It's been a while, hasn't it?


	29. Use it Wisely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got to go see TAO perform last night, which is why this is late. I'm also about to leave to see EXO in concert, which is why this is early today. :3 In other news. Look at that. This story is progressing~ The end is in sight! Well... I mean, not for a while, but still! It's there. I can taste it! Come to me progress! Hit me with the inspiration!
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Use it Wisely**

* * *

_Draft_

_Written at 7:34 p.m._

_"Hey, where are you guy's right now?"_

_-Sent_

When Eren didn't respond right away, Levi dialed Armin's number. It was a Tuesday. Tuesday's Armin was home early. At least that was always the case before he started working for Erwin. Now his hours were different, and the older man fidgeted in his seat, waiting for an answer.

 _"Hello...?"_ The line finally picked up, the sound of Armin's voice almost heaven to the older man. Levi breathed a sigh of relief at the idea that the teen would answer him.

"Armin...?"

_"Yeah, Levi?"_

"Yeah, it's me." The light finally turned green, allowing the man to finally pull out of the street.

 _"Hey, Levi... W-What's up?"_ Armin already sounded skeptical of him. After all, how often was it Levi called him? Never.

"Where's Eren?"

_"He's in the shower. Why? Did you need to talk to him?"_

"No, not yet. Where are you and Mikasa?"

 _"Uhm... Home? I just got back from class and Mikasa is about to go to work..."_ The teen explained.

"No...!" Levi suddenly blurted out, partially out of his answer and partially because another red light waited for him up ahead.

_"Huh...?"_

"Armin, you guy's need to stay home. I'm coming over."

_"W-Wait, why?"_

"I need to talk to you."

And with that, Levi hung up the phone to focus on driving.

* * *

"Your boyfriend is crazy..." Mikasa uttered in annoyance. "You said he was coming over?"

"Yes, and he said he needed to talk to us." Armin explained while shrugging his shoulders.

"It better be worth it. I'm already ten minutes late for work." The girl hissed, continuously glancing down at the watch around her wrist. It was either to that, or to Eren who sat nearby in the recliner, a towel over his head while picking at his nails. He looked bored out of his mind, but by the tapping of his foot, they could tell he was still eager to find out what Levi needed to talk to them about.

What was so important that he couldn't tell them over the phone? What was so important that Mikasa had to be late for work to hear? Levi never did this. He never did it, so what was so incredibly important that he needed to stop their whole day?

"Mikasa, relax. They believe the car is having problems, so it's okay." Armin assured her before there was a bang at the front door. The three of them jumped before the blonde ran to it and opened it, letting in a very flustered looking older man.

"Levy...?" Eren asked out loud with a frown. He had never seen the man look so out of sorts before.

"Are you okay?" Armin asked while shutting the door behind him. "You look like you ran here."

"No, no..." Levi shook his head while taking a deep breath. "Just... Trying to get myself together."

"What happened?" Mikasa asked, and with some mild surprise, continued. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Levi said before walking over to her. He reached into his back pocket where he had stuffed the check from Erwin and pulled it out. He unfolded it, looking it over once more to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, that what he was seeing was actually a check written out for two thousand dollars. It was real, tangible, and in his hands right now.

_Two thousand dollars._

The older man nodded his head in affirmative response to his mental questions before handing it to Mikasa. She took it gingerly, as if she didn't trust the tiny, little paper he was handing her, but Levi gave her a firm stare. The frown on her lips said something, but the moment she glanced at the words written down on the small piece of paper, her mouth all but dropped. Levi didn't think he had seen that much emotion on her face ever.

"Put it away in a savings account for Eren's Cochlear Implants." He told her.

"What is that?" Armin asked before looking over the teen's shoulder. A very similar expression suddenly took over his confused features.

"What... What is this?" Mikasa asked while motioning between him and the check. Eren leaned over in the recliner, trying to see what it was she was holding, but he was at a loss. What was going on?

"I... I got paid for a painting." Levi explained, almost ashamed by the truth. "It's a start, right? It's not enough, but it gets us somewhere."

"Levi... Are you serious?" Armin asked while taking up the check, once again foiling Eren's attempt to see what they were looking at.

"Of course I am. Do you think I would have made you late for work if this was a joke?" Levi asked them while pointing to Eren's sister.

 _"Hey, let me in here."_ Eren signed while waving a free hand. _"What's going on?"_

"Eren..." Armin began before showing him the check. The teen looked over it carefully, at first confused. He didn't understand, not without hearing their conversation, but the blonde quickly signed to him.

Eren's golden eyes widened to almost comical proportions before looking over to the older man. His eyes quickly drifted back down to the check, but then back to him. It was as if he was in a mental battle he couldn't win, both sides pinning for the right reasons. He couldn't decide what to do right now. He was lost between running up to the older man to hug the life out of him, kiss him, or just stand there looking utterly dumb at this point. He just didn't know.

"Levy..." He mumbled, his hand shaking with his weak grip.

"You aren't kidding, right?" Armin asked him. "I mean that-... That's a lot of money, Levi."

"Yeah, it is..." The man replied lamely.

"I mean... Levi, that could pay your bills. That could pay for the hospital visit. That's a lot of money that could be used for that."

"Never even thought about it." He told him, noticing there very subtle shift in Mikasa's expression. She had been quiet for a while, and while she was normally a quiet girl, this wasn't her usually brand of apathetic silence. It was a weird expression that looked like a sense of relief flooded with surprise, almost like something had hit her in the face.

What did that even mean for a girl like her?

"Levy..." Eren mumbled and tugged at his jacket. Levi looked over to him after inspecting Mikasa's face a moment longer, only to feel the check sliding back into his cold fingertips.

"Eren..?" He questioned with a frown, looking between him and the slip of paper.

"Keep it..." The brunette told him, a look of guilty regret filling those golden eyes of his.

"What...?" The older man was no more than dumbfounded to actually sign to him, but the teen seemed to understand him regardless.

"Eren," Armin stopped him and grabbed at his arm to get his attention. _"What are you doing?"_

 _"I don't need it..."_ Eren admitted, but the same guilt ridden look was deep within his eyes. Levi couldn't shake the feeling that Eren didn't mean what he was speaking.

 _"Eren, I thought you wanted the hearing implants..."_ The blonde assumed of him.

 _"I do, but..."_ He wavered, fingers shaking. _"Money will always be there, and the longer we wait, the better the technology will be, right? I'll get a better implant if I wait, so... Take it and worry about those bills."_

So he had been reading their lips after all.

"Eren..."

Never before had he ever felt such a sense of astonishment in his life. Not even Isabel had done much to bring him to this level of amazement from such a small action, but that wasn't true. This wasn't small by any means.

Eren was giving up the chance to hear just so he could have heat in his apartment for another day. Sure, two thousand was a minuscule number compared to what it would cost for his implants. Without any insurance, they'd have to get the money by other means. Other means that would surely take a long time, but it was still a lot of money. It was still a solace to start, and he was willing to give it up just for him.

"Eren, I can't..." Levi shook his head. How could Eren think so highly of him? How could he waste such a chance on him?

 _"If you don't want it, I'll just tear it up then."_ Eren told him before grabbing both ends of the check.

"No!"

Levi and Armin, even Mikasa (Who was still being oddly quiet) Jumped up in fear and yelled at him. Eren stopped in surprise before Levi swiftly pulled the paper from his hands, making sure he hadn't damaged it.

"Are you crazy?" Armin yipped in surprise.

"Don't even joke about wasting money like that, Eren!" Mikasa reprimanded him with a sharp slap to his arm.

_"It can always be written up again, can't it?"_

"That's not the point, brat!" Levi jumped in. "If you're going to pull that shit again then I'll keep it, alright? Just don't do that again!"

Before Eren could make a comment on how irrational they were being, Levi yanked him forward by his sweater and pulled him into a tight hug. The brunette could barely react with the way his arms were wrapped around his shoulders, how Levi's breath was hot against his neck and how the man strained to be at a proper level with him. He would usually think it was cute if the strong grip around him didn't border painful.

"L-Levy..." He breathed and reached up to touch the older man's arms. Levi carefully turned their bodies so Eren's back was facing away from his siblings, his hand tugging on his neck and feeling soft hair stand on end as their foreheads pressed together. He gave him the lightest kiss on the nose before bringing his hands down between them where the other teens wouldn't be able to see what it was he was signing.

_"You're coming over to my place later, and I can promise you that you won't be walking right tomorrow."_

The vivid hue of red that dusted his tan cheeks was a gorgeous shade to the older man, one he couldn't wait to see again, but he'd have to. Mikasa had to get to work and Armin would be leaving soon anyway, but that was fine. They sooner they were gone, the sooner he could bring Eren back to his apartment and show his appreciation. The sooner he could show just how much he truly loved this idiot, because what person would give up the chance to hear this selfish man?

He was still beyond baffled by that.

* * *

"Sorry for making you late for work." Levi apologized as Mikasa locked the door behind her. "Had I known he would have rejected it, I wouldn't have held you back."

"It's alright," Mikasa told him while turning to face him. "I told my boss it was a problem with my car. Somehow he believes it, so I have a few minutes now."

"That's good. At least they aren't such assholes to you over there that they wouldn't understand car troubles." Levi uttered as they walked off the porch. "Hell, they're still assholes for making you work the hours you do."

He spoke vehemently about her work, even though he knew most of it was her decision. Still, this girl, soon to be twenty, shouldn't work the hours she did. Her job should have said something against it, but of course they wouldn't. Money was money, and it was a dangerous thing.

Speaking of which, Levi pulled the check out from his pocket to give it another glance over.

Two thousand dollars at his disposal. First and foremost bills needed to be paid. His electric would be turned off if he didn't get that taken care of, and he'd rather get a nice jumpstart on his hospital payments if he could. There probably wouldn't be anything leftover by the time he was done, but that was fine. That meant he could breathe for a while, while looking for another job.

"Hey, Levi..." Mikasa spoke up. Levi hummed in response before tucking the folded paper back into his pocket for safe keeping. "Thank you..."

Mildly surprised by her words, Levi lifted his head to see something he couldn't recall ever seeing on Mikasa before.

A smile.

This wasn't something small, or a mixed smirk of humor. This was a real, genuine smile. It spread from ear to ear, relived and happy, her cheeks tinted pink from the cold. Her eyes held a small spark, a light to them he hadn't seen from her before either. He thought for a while that she was inept of smiling, and yet there it was, staring right at him.

This day was just full of surprises.

"... For what?" He asked, his brain not processing the previous events that could possibly be linked to this.

"You know, people gave up on him..." Mikasa told him as she slowly walked to her car. Naturally Levi followed after her to hear what she had to say. "There were people who called themselves friends, but they didn't know how to handle Eren. They treated him like a child like I do, never bothering to see what upset him, what made him happy. They never learned that he was human just like them with the exception of his hearing, and like a lot of selfish people, he was something not worth their precious and petty time to take the time and learn. Eventually those so called "friends" disappeared, never to be heard from again."

"And...?"

"He's been abused by the world, and he has a hard time trying to trust someone new..." Mikasa stopped at the driver's door of her car, finger fiddling with her keys. "Well, there's very few who try hard for Eren. Those few are important to Eren, but sometimes even they don't know how to treat him human. I try to protect him to the best of my abilities so he can feel safe, so forgive me for not seeing it sooner."

Levi tilted his head at her explanation. He thought he understood it, but he still didn't understand what brought on this sort of attitude change from her.

"And thank you for treating him the way he wants to be treated..." With that, Mikasa unlocked the car door and waved to him, a smile still settled on her thin lips. "See you later, Levi."

Levi stood in the snow for a moment, eyebrows furrowed in confusion and toes frozen as she pulled out of the driveway. He waited just a little longer, just long enough to lose sight of her car in the distance. Long enough to let the words sink and settle into his head. It made sense to him now in the midst of him trying to put things together, such as the fact she used his name for once. He understood it, but there was still one question plaguing his mind, one question that lead to a lot more questions.

Why did she ever think he would ever treat Eren any less just because he couldn't hear? What did the two of them have to go through not to trust someone so much?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And all is right with the world. And now. Some smut. Anyone have any fun recommendations~? *wink wink, nudge nudge*


	30. Showing my Appreciation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know I'm writing smut when chapters take this long to come out.
> 
> Anyway. Oh my god you guys. Chapter 30. I love you people. I mean seriously. 30 chapters and you're still here. :') Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews and being so kind to me. I've really improved since I started this a year ago, and while I'm not the best, I'm definitely getting better! All I can hope for is that you all continue to be awesome people and help me grown as a writer. Thank you again. ^^
> 
> On another note that you all want to really hear. I got lots of fun requests from you guys, so I kind of mashed them up. I can't really do bondage since they're still vanilla ice cream babies, but I definitely appreciate the wall smut. ;3)

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty: Showing my Appreciation**

* * *

_Draft:_

_Written at 5:52 p.m._

_"So I'm here? You're home, right?"_

_-Sent_

Eren fidgeted back and forth on his feet, eyes staring at his phone in hopes that it would provide entertainment until Levi opened the door to his apartment. That was if he was even home.

When Levi had left, he had sent him a text.

_"When Armin leaves, come over."_

His words from before were replaying like a broken record. He was going to make sure he couldn't _walk_. Those were the specific words he had used. All while Mikasa and Armin weren't looking of course.

Lord help him had Mikasa seen that.

So once they were gone, Eren managed to get back to his place on his own, like he had done before. He managed with the busses, after carefully looking through the stops and times online. After taking a few dollars from Mikasa's bag (If she noticed it missing, she hadn't said anything yet), and making sure he had his cellphone, that was all he needed to get there.

So where was Levi then? He knew he was coming. He had been the one to say so himself that he was coming over.

Maybe he couldn't hear him knocking? Wouldn't that be morbidly ironic?

Eren rolled his eyes at the thought before lifting his hand, but before he could knock again, the door suddenly swung open. He gasped as the collar of his shirt was grabbed and pulled, bringing him into the apartment before he could say or do much else. He felt the air of the door and the vibrations of it as it slammed shut behind him, and too quickly was the air he barely got back knocked out of him when he was pushed quite roughly against it.

"L-Lev-" Eren was cut off by lips pressing into his hastily. For just a fraction of a second did he fear this wasn't Levi, but someone else trying to have their way with him. He had half a mind to kick them between the legs, but when he saw that perfectly black hair and realized the height difference, his worries faded into the heated kiss.

His nerves relaxing, he sighed softly before wrapping his arms around the older man's shoulders, trying to enjoy the feeling of his warm body pressed into his. It was still cold outside, leaving him a shivering mess, but that was okay. Levi was there, keeping him close and warm, but he noticed something.

Something was off about him. His hands were moving over his waist and hips in what seemed to be a frantic attempt at pulling off his clothes, but his sweater and jacket were in the way. The kiss wasn't sweet, but rushed and hot. When his lips were gone, they were quickly on his neck and sucking a probably noticeable bruise into his skin, a little too high for his liking. Any higher and he wouldn't be able to hide it.

He wasn't going to look online about how to cover up love bites again. The first search alone was enough to mentally scar him.

"L-Levy," Eren whimpered and pushed at his shoulders. "Slow down..."

The lips were gone, replaced with a warm breath as the man sighed against his skin. The hands that had been so adamant about getting his clothes off stopped short, falling to his hips and resting there. Eren's hands came up to rest on his shoulders, his head tilting back to look at the man who seemed to be disheveled.

He had yet to see his face, but now he could see the mixed emotions within his expression. He looked a little anxious, but confused and worried at the same time. The furrow between his eyebrows wasn't one of anger or annoyance, but more thoughtful, like he was contemplating something deep within his mind.

"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly, lips frowning at the thought that something upset his boyfriend.

"... You're really something, you know that, Eren?" Levi asked of him, fingers barely catching up to his words. His hands were so jittery that he could barely keep them stable.

"Huh...?"

"You'd give up your hearing just so I can keep my apartment..." Levi told him when Eren couldn't seem to understand what he was implying.

Maybe it had something to do with the small hardness pressing into his hip.

"I-I'm not..." Eren shook his head before lifting his hands. _"I'm not giving up my hearing! I'm just postponing it! It's just off to the side for now..."_ He explained.

"For how long though, Eren?" The older man asked. "This pushes back your time."

_"And I can wait,"_ The brunette stated abruptly. _"But your apartment could be taken away from you, and I don't want you homeless. I don't think Mikasa will let you move in with us..."_

Levi was just as surprised as Eren at the sudden bark of laughter that left his lips. It was a sudden upheaval of a voice he didn't know he had or could produce, shaking his ribs and making his lungs ache. He wasn't aware he could laugh like this. He really didn't think he was physically capable of it, but he couldn't help himself. The idea that Eren had expressed was too wild even for him to imagine.

Mikasa? Let him live with _them_?

Hell would have to freeze a dozen times over before that would happen. The chances of both of them getting struck by lightning were higher than that, and they both knew it.

"Don't laugh at me!" Eren yelped before his cheeks turned in a pout. His arms crossed over his chest, putting distance between them in annoyance.

"I-I'm sorry, Eren!" Levi huffed, trying to collect himself. When was the last time he had laughed this hard? "You're just... Too fucking cute..."

Eren whined before pushing at his chest, trying to knock him away, but Levi caught his arms and pushed them into the wood behind him.

"I'm not cute!"

"You have no idea." Levi scoffed before leaning up and kissing him. Eren groaned against his lips, not too happy that Levi could simply ignore his argument and act like it hadn't happened. However, the tenderness of this kiss was too sweet to ignore. Even when it heated up, even when his arms wrapped around the man's shoulders to ground himself, it was impossible to ignore.

His mind became foggy, especially when those nimble hands ran down his thighs, pressure slowly increasing until one of his legs was helped up around his hips. The other followed shortly after on its own, ankles locking behind his back to hold himself up, but he was surprised. Whether it was his height or body build, Eren was surprised he could hold him up. Maybe it was his height, but Levi was able to hold him up against the door, hands on his butt while kissing him with fervor.

His arms wrapped around his shoulders, fingers digging into the stitching of his sweater. Insistent on getting what he wanted, his hands began moving, pulling at the article of clothing like it had offended him. He couldn't get far with it though, not when Levi was the one holding him up. Not while their lips were together. So he settled for rubbing the palms of his hands into Levi's chest, feeling the natural warmth of his skin tickle his fingertips. This seemed to please the older man, enough so for him to let out a groan that the teen could feel vibrate against his lips.

He felt the rumble of his chest before a tongue pressed into his lips. They parted willingly, allowing the muscle to quickly wrap around his own and reduce him into a mess of whimpers and sighs. Levi always knew what it was he was doing, but damn, sometimes he doubted it, and he always had his mind blown.

Levi's hands that had been holding him up started to move. His hips continuing to hold him up against the wall as he groped at his ass. Eren arched back, chest pressing into his in surprise before his lightly moaned. He could feel the outline of the older man's erection pressing into him, feeling how had he was beneath his pants.

Had he been holding it in for a while now?

He wasn't about to question it, instead rolling his hips forward to apply friction to his own quickly growing one. The sensation was mind numbing, and he was rewarded win another deep groan and a heavy squeeze to his butt again.

"Eren..." Levi was partially glad Eren couldn't hear the deep, animalistic growl that left his lips, instead distracting him before he could pick it up. With his hands busy, there was no way he could bury his hands in that soft, brunette hair. So instead, he simply nudged his head to the side with his own before sucking a dark bruise into his neck.

Screw it if anyone could see.

"Hah..." Eren tilted his head back, enjoying the sensation for all it was worth. From the hands squeezing at him to the friction of their hips, to the now pleasant burn on his neck, he was thoroughly numbed by an enjoyable pleasure.

"God, you're so addicting..." The older man breathed against his neck, lost in translation for the teen. His hips rolled forward roughly, his mind melting at the sudden heat it created. Eren's body jerked forward at the sensation, his body nearly pushing off of the door.

They were getting nowhere standing here like this, even if both of them had toyed with the idea of having sex against the door. Levi knew it wasn't something they could do though. What they needed was in his bedroom, so with that thought in mind and his lips on Eren's, he pulled them away from the wall and began walking down the hall. Eren's ankles locked behind his back, hands cupping his cheeks for a better grip. He refused to let go of his boyfriend, much less stop the kiss. He was only partially aware they were moving until he was dropped down onto a bed, Levi's bed to be exact.

He gasped in surprise, eyeing the man with flushed curiosity as Levi pulled his shirt over his head. His golden stare practically ogled his body, admiring the hard chest and impressive abs leading down to the carved V-line of his hips, hidden away by his pants. He sat up enough to grab at his belt, yanking it open before pulling the zipper down.

Maybe he was a little frantic himself.

"Eren, you don't have to-" Levi started, but he wouldn't lie and say he didn't sign for a reason, because he didn't. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had hoped for it. How long had it been since they touched each other?

Way too long.

Eren pulled his pants down his hips, only managing to his thighs in this position. He held the heavy organ in his hand and gave it a few, short pumps, testing the waters. He watched Levi for his reactions, the way his cheeks flushed, eyes closing, breath hitching. He could see it in the way his chest expanded in a certain way, which was enough of a confirmation.

He was doing something right.

It'd been a long time since he had done this, December to be exact, so his heart was beating wildly in his chest, but it didn't stop him. He leaned forward and kissed the tip, feeling the cock twitch in his hand. It was a bit of an overpowering feeling, enough so that he looked up at Levi while sucking the head into his mouth.

"Fuck..." Levi cursed under his breath, and Eren guessed what it was he could have said.

The brunette closed his eyes as he focused on sucking at the organ between his lips. His jaw ached at the uncomfortable stretch, but Levi's reactions were too beautiful to stop. The way his chest heaved, the way one of his hands gripped his shoulder reassuringly while the other caresses through his hair.

Perfect.

"Eren... S-Stop..." Levi rasped before pushing at his shoulder. Eren leaned back, gasping for breath he didn't know he had been holding, and looked up.

Had he done something wrong? Had he hurt him somehow?

The teen was about to voice his worries before Levi leaned down and kissed him with such passion that he forgot what he was thinking. He kissed him with such force that it pushed him back onto the bed, Levi crawling over him and pulling at his sweatpants. He gasped against his lips, surprised by the suddenness of his actions. He couldn't say he didn't like it; it had been a while after all. He was just surprised.

"Levy-" He gasped when Levi forced his boots off just to remove his pants. He was glad the room was a little darker than the living room, but he was still self-conscious.

Meanwhile he found his jacket becoming too hot and uncomfortable for his liking. He wiggled around as Levi fussed with his other boots before unzipping it. He at least needed the damn thing off; forget his shirt.

"Hold still..." Levi growled while messing with what was only considered a knot in the teen's shoelaces. He finally managed enough wiggle room to just force the boot off and toss to the side, careless of where it fell, and finally yank his pants off completely. Eren had managed off his jacket, leaving him in his teal colored, long sleeved shirt. It took Levi a moment to realize that now the boy was practically bare in front of him, and when it hit him, it practically knocked the air out of him.

He took a moment longer to stare at the brunette. To look into the deep, golden eyes of his, his pupils blown wide. At the soft traces of sweat building up on his forehead, making his fridge stick to his skin. Of the perfect flush of red on his cheeks, spreading to his ears and down his neck. His shirt bundled under his arms, showing off his chest, nipples erect and stomach twitching every now and again with a sudden intake of air. The hardness between his legs, red and swollen, resting against his stomach.

Perfect.

"What are you doing to me?" Levi asked, more to himself then the brunette.

Eren gave him a questioning gaze, hoping he'd repeat himself, but he didn't. Instead, the older man leaned down and pushed his legs up, pressing them into his chest. Eren whined at the sudden position, the embarrassment getting to him, but he couldn't protest. All he could do was hold on to his thighs and hold on for the ride.

Maybe that wasn't the best way to think of this at the moment.

"Levy...!" He suddenly squeaked when he felt a heat engulf his aching member. His tossed his head to the side, pressing his warm cheek in the pillow below him, a giant contrast to how it felt. His toes curled at the sudden pleasure, eyes closing tight as the man sucked and teased him, and in the middle of it all, he felt a finger circling his entrance.

There was a soft vibration against him, Levi groaning probably. If it weren't for this position, he'd arch into the sensation. One of the man's hands also had his hip pinned, leaving him practically immobilized. Maybe that was for the best? In this position, he would have choked the man with his cock or furthered the travel of his fingers as it finally pushed in.

He gasped his name, his nails digging into his skin as he tried not to move. His body felt numb, but he had never felt the need to squirm around so much before since the last time they'd done this. The sudden, uneasy and unfamiliar sensation of something going inside of him, of pushing his limits and stretching him. The feeling of something pressing into his walls and rubbing away at his insides. All of that encompassed with the wet warmth of something around his erection had him at a loss for words, or even thought by that point.

"It's good..." He breathed in a mixture of a whine and a sigh. At that, Levi pushed in another finger, pushing and stretching him apart. He noticed the sudden intake of breath, felt the way his body tensed and slowed. He didn't want to hurt Eren, but it had been so long. Rational thought was becoming harder and harder to keep. His body was hot and aching to be inside of him, and he found it harder to resist thrusting into him.

"Eren..." He rasped, voice cracking from the use. He sat back, fingers still inside but stilling to look into golden eyes. The brunette seemed to know he was trying to get his attention, but by the hazy expression in his face, he looked utterly lost. "In my nightstand..." Levi spoke and pointed to his bedside table.

Eren didn't seem to have a problem understanding him. His problem was trying to figure out why he was motioning towards it. Nonetheless he sat up, wincing when Levi's fingers pressed so close to his most sensitive of places before opening up the drawer. He searched around inside, trying to figure out what it was Levi could have possibly motioned towards, but after a few seconds of searching, he came across the items without question.

A few condoms and a bottle of lube were hidden away behind a box of tissues and a book. They were placed where no one would see them without really looking, the realization making him blush madly.

Just as he grabbed at the bottle and packet, Levi's fingers began moving again. The suddenness of it had him gasp and fall back onto the bed, nearly dropping the items, but he managed to keep hold of them long enough for it to get to Levi's grasp. He crooked his fingers up while his free hand started messing with the bottle, pouring a generous amount of the substance onto his fingers for better ease before pushing in a third.

"W-Wait..." Eren croaked and recoiled at the touch. It didn't hurt terribly, just stung a little with the added lubricant.

They had been so frantic in their coupling, he didn't have time to really appreciate what was happening here, but it's not like he'd have much. They didn't know when the net interruption would be right around the corner.

"You okay...?" Levi asked, his breathing labored. He had forgotten to worry for Eren's wellbeing while doing this, so caught up in the sight of him that he only managed to hurt him some.

"Le-Levy..." Eren reached down to grab his hand and bring it to his chest. He just needed something to hold onto, but noticing the way the older man refused to move, he nodded his head. "M-More..."

Levi complied reluctantly. At first it was slow, simply stretching him. He wouldn't hurt him again. He _couldn't_ , but soon his fingers were moving faster, pushing in deeper and harder. Soon Eren was squirming, panting, and moaning. His voice was weak, but at a higher pitch that Levi all but appreciated. His body was shaking with anticipation, for more, bigger and better. He longed for those muscular arms to wrap around him, for his legs to wrap around his hips. Last time they had done this, Levi's leg was useless. They had to do it in probably one of the not so good first time positions, so how would it feel now?

Soon enough, Levi's fingers withdrew from his body entirely. His shuddered at the empty feeling, hating how he suddenly felt like this. Had it been like that the first time? One would think he would remember the sensations, but it had been so long.

Eren had his eyes closed for a while, but when he realized nothing had happened, he opened them to see Levi shrugging off his pants. He staggered haphazardly before managing them off and crawling back onto the bed, and how Eren didn't notice him leave he wasn't sure. The older man grabbed at the packet he had gotten and tore it open with ease. He rolled it on, sighing at the touch. They had been frantic, so he hadn't gotten the chance to relieve some of that pressure.

He looked up to see those golden eyes on him intently, or more so, on the condom now on his cock. His body trembling and cheeks flushing red, Levi couldn't imagine what was going through his mind.

He grabbed at Eren's thighs and helped them to wrap around his hips. He leaned forward over his body to kiss him, lips pressing into the teen's own swollen ones as he felt the head of his cock brush against his entrance. Eren whimpered into his lips, hips jumping in surprise before he began pushing in.

"Levy..." He croaked and wrapped his arms around his shoulders. Preparation had been minimal this time, so the sudden dull ache and burn had him wincing while he held on like his life depended on it.

The older man shuffled his hips, pulling back slightly before pushing in again, slightly deeper with each thrust. He felt nails dig into his back the farther in he managed, and that was okay. If Eren was in pain, he wasn't saying anything. All he could do, all he could manage was to hold on for the ride.

"I'm in..." Levi breathed against his flushed neck. Eren whined, not having heard him, but the sudden halt was proof enough.

The man leaned back to look down at his boyfriend, to gaze into those beautiful eyes, so wide and lost in sensation. He took note of the way he was breathing, how heavy his lungs must have felt, the absurd rise and fall of his chest. They'd pushed too far in such a short amount of time this time, and now it was taking time to get used to the sensation again.

Levi leaned down and kissed those swollen, red lips. His hand gently caressed his cheek, trying to bring comfort, or even a distraction. He swallowed down those little sounds, the cute he made, never parting until he felt Eren's hips move into his own.

"H-Hurry..."

Impatient as always, but Levi couldn't last much longer.

He sat back on his heels before pulling out halfway and thrusting in. He kept the pace slow, because at the first thrust Eren's body shivered. He wouldn't last long on just teasing, but he planned to make the most of it.

Thinking back to their first time, Levi thought of the things Eren had done that he had obviously liked. Being touched was one of them. His sense of touch was far greater, so the sensation of hands on him, even if not completely intimate, would reduce him to a puddle. He remembered the way Eren's hips would sit against his and roll and grind, how that seemed to drive him crazy. Anything else were small, tiny actions that would surely put him over the edge.

Levi grabbed Eren's hands, held them tightly against the bed, and pressed against his flush body, grinding his hips into the brunette's. Eren's back arched, sweaty chest pressing into the older man's as he practically keened. He'd already found that special spot inside of him that made his eyes roll back into his head and his body tremble. It he kept doing that, he definitely wouldn't last long.

Sure enough, Levi's hips kept rolling into his, his wrists aching under his grip, but he couldn't care less. The pain dissipated fast in favor of the frantic friction against and in his body. He couldn't help but moan loudly at the sensations.

The older man leaned forward and pressed his lips non-too-gently into the teens. He didn't care if Eren got loud, but he wasn't aware of how loud he could be. At the shop it was fine. Everyone was gone and there wasn't anyone in another building to hear him. He had neighbors now, and while he didn't care if they were confronted about their behavior, he was sure Eren would be embarrassed if not.

The brunette cried against his lips as the older man began thrusting again, slamming into his harder. He managed to shake off his hands enough to wrap them around Levi's shoulders, clinging to him. He felt heat prickling in his stomach, moving to his toes and finger tips. Everywhere burned and Levi only made it worse, but it felt good.

Last time Levi's leg had been hurt. He couldn't do anything but sit under him, but now it was him on top, him thrusting in and out of him, him grabbing at his aching cock and stroking him.

"Le-Le- _vi_!" He cried against his lips.

Levi nearly stopped at the sound of his name. Not the morphed version of his name Eren had been calling him since day one, but his actual name. He knew that was a onetime thing, that his name being said was just a mix of a moan as he tried to tell him something, but what he wasn't sure. However, he didn't think he'd feel such a violent reaction to it as he did, enough so that he paused momentarily to hike one of Eren's legs up over his shoulder.

The sudden change in angle made him hit that spot that could make Eren mute, mouth gaping open and back arching, hands clenching at the bed sheets as he attacked it. He eventually found his voice again in the form of a gurgled gasp. A few more strokes had him coming, muscles tensing as a wave of pure relief and pleasure washed over him.

Just the sight of him coming was enough to push Levi over the edge, but not without a few more hard thrusts and a muffled groan as he bit down on his tongue to hide his voice. He kept moving, kept rolling his hips to ride out the ecstasy until Eren pleaded with him to stop, his body too sensitive for anymore, until his muscles ached and screamed for no more.

Both were utterly spent, left to sit in a heap of jelly-like bones and and sweat. Levi inwardly grimaced for half a second when he realized he really didn't care. All he could do was lay his ahead against Eren's damp thigh and take in deep breaths, trying to calm himself as best as he could.

"Eren..." He croaked, his body shaking in such a way that it was enough to catch the teen's attention. Eren's eyes opened, and when he had closed them he wasn't sure. He simply looked to the older man with a fog over his golden orbs, trying to comprehend the situation. He barely felt the man pull out of him, but he had enough energy to realize Levi has carefully set his leg down on the bed.

"... Mhm..." He hummed as a reply, but it came a minute after he spoke his name.

"... We need a shower..." Levi barely managed to sign. He waited for a reply, but when it didn't happen, he looked up from between their bodies to see the brunette's eyes closed, bangs softly laying against his forehead. His breathing had evened out, and every muscle in his body had relaxed.

He had fallen asleep.

The older man sighed to himself before laying down beside him and pulling the duvet over their bodies. Eren barely moved, simply rolling onto his side to snuggle close to his body. He wrapped his arms around his body, keeping him close and what he considered safe. Eren would always be safe in his arms.

He closed his eyes, feeling fatigue start to wash over his body. It felt like bliss to have his body spent in a way that felt so good, with someone he cared for so deeply at his side. It felt like euphoria to just lay there in the dense quiet and relax, sleep tugging at his senses. He could have fallen asleep, but he was content just playing with some of Eren's hair between his fingers and kissing his forehead as he slept on.

The brat was definitely doing stuff to him. Stuff that at once felt odd, but familiar. It reminded him much of his little sister, how she and Farlan were the only ones allowed in his life. Now came along this teenage boy, and everything he built up fell apart, and for what? Eren was willing to delay hearing implants just for him.

Levi's dark eyes momentarily left the sleeping teen to look over to the corner of his room. Stacked against the wall were canvases, empty and blank, ready to be filled with something, but what? He had yet to find out what he was going to make next. He just gotten the supplies after all. All he knew was that whatever he made had to be as expensive as the last painting if he wanted those Cochlear implants.

He had a lot of work to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know, I was thinking about it... We aren't far from the end here. :o Probably like... Ten more chapters? That's a really rough guess. Don't take that number to heart.


	31. Keep it a Secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short chapter, but this is covering something someone mentioned to me that needed shum explanations. Next chapter... It begins... The countdown... Although it's a poor countdown, because I don't know how many chapters we have left. I'm still working on that! X'D
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** ****  
**  
** **Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** ****  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** ****  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty One: Keep it a Secret**

* * *

"Hey, Levy...?" Eren mumbled and looked up from under the towel his boyfriend had carefully situated on his head. The older man was drying off his hair from his shower, but stopped when golden eyes looked up at him curiously.

"What...?" He asked.

 _"Are you painting something for someone again?"_ The brunette signed, and for a moment Levi didn't understand. It wasn't until Eren pointed to the blank canvas's in the corner of his room that he understood.

"Yeah... Yeah, something for someone." He had yet to tell Eren his plans to make money for his implants by means of painting. He knew he'd hear some form of argument from him, such as it was a lot of money for the implants and he shouldn't waste his time. This is why he decided to keep it a secret.

"Really...?" His boyfriend beamed up at him, and for a moment the older man had to look away. He couldn't handle the absolutely adorable look on Eren's face right now. Was he even aware he was doing it?

Damn brat.

"Why would I lie?" The man asked him. Eren shrugged his shoulders, a confusing triumphant look on his face as he turned back around to let Levi finish drying him off. "What's with that face?" He asked of him, but he knew he wouldn't get a response. Instead, he continued drying Eren's hair until he deemed it satisfying for himself. Spring may have been just around the corner, but it was still too cold to be walking around with wet hair.

"Levy..." Eren spoke his name after a few minutes of silence.

"What...?"

 _"What are you going to paint?"_ The brunette asked, an odd glint of something (Levi wasn't sure of what) in his golden eyes.

"Uhm... Whatever comes to mind, I guess." Levi signed.

Suddenly, the grin that had been digging at the corners of Eren's lips pulled wider, a smirk if Levi was aware of it.

 _"You're painting because you want to, aren't you?"_ He asked of him.

"Even if I was, why is that such a shock?"

 _"It's not, but..."_ Eren paused to sit up off of the floor and scoot next to his boyfriend on the bed. _"That means you like painting again, right?"_

"I never stopped liking it," Levi told him. "I just had things come about that took more importance in my life."

_"So why start now?"_

"What...?" Where was he going with this?

_"You still don't have a job, you live alone, and I'm young enough to make our relationship bordering illegal. With all that's going on, what's suddenly made you start painting again?"_

Damn. Sometimes he forgot Eren was smarter then he let on to. Or maybe he was just that obvious.

The older man sighed. He wanted to tell him that he was the reason for his painting. He wanted to say that he was painting to make money so he could get his implants, but he wanted to keep that a secret to later surprise him. Sure, it could take years before he raised that money, but he didn't want Eren getting his hopes up so high.

Sure, his last painting sold for two thousand, but that was from Erwin. The blonde was probably being nice. He had said he should have paid more for its worth though, hadn't he?

 _"Is it because it got you money?"_ Eren asked him and tilted his head. _"There's nothing wrong with that. If you want to make a career out of your art I'll be behind you, but I don't get why you don't want to talk about it..."_

"I guess I'm... Worried?"

No, he'd still keep it a secret for as long as he could. For now, he needed to pull something out of his ass if he wanted Eren to believe him.

_"About what...?"_

"Erwin could have been playing nice. Being an artist is a very difficult job, and most people aren't willing to pay top dollar for a piece of paper that'll hang on a wall and do nothing." He explained to the teen. "Being an artist requires skills and talent-"

 _"Which you have."_ Eren mentioned.

"And a sheer amount of luck. It takes the right person to see it for you to get popular and really make money. That's just how it is."

 _"And who's to say you won't get that?"_ The brunette asked. _"Maybe Erwin wasn't being nice. Maybe he was paying exactly what your painting deserved, and maybe he'll pass the word around for you. After all, he's an old friend willing to help, right?"_

"... You're annoying, you know that, right?" Levi suddenly asked, trying desperately to change the subject by ruffling Eren's damp hair. It was annoying when this teenager was right.

"Hey...!" Eren whined and swatted at his hands.

"Who are you to give me advice when you can't even get yourself together?"

 _"What's that supposed to mean?"_ Eren grumbled under his breath, some he said that Levi couldn't make heads or tails of.

"You figure out what you're doing about school yet?" Levi asked him.

Eren stilled, his eyes looking over to the man and then away, as if deep in thought. He had been thinking about it, hadn't he?

 _"... I think I wanna change my major..."_ He replied skeptically.

"Well we know you want to. What I'm asking you is if you've decided what you're going to do." Levi reconsidered his choice of words. If Eren hadn't thought about it thoroughly, he wasn't going to have a straight answer. If so, he would, but that meant dragging it out of him.

 _"... Yeah. I'm going to do it."_ He reluctantly replied.

"Have you told Mikasa and Armin yet?"

 _"No... Do you think they'll be mad at me?"_ Eren looked at with expectant eyes, pleading for answers.

"Of course not," The older man answered. "They're your family and want what's best for you, but you're old enough to know what you want too. If you think business is wrong for you, they won't torture you to stay." He continued to explain.

_"I'm just worried... I don't want to put any stress over their heads..."_

"How is that going to stress them out? If anything it should make them feel better knowing you're happier in school."

"Yeah, but..." Eren paused, trying to get his words together.

"It's either that or Mikasa forced you into more online schooling." Levi remarked with a shrug of his shoulders.

 _"Forced me?"_ Eren asked. _"She never forced me into online schooling."_

"She didn't?" Levi stared at him with a frown and furrowed eyebrows.

 _"No, I put myself there."_ Eren told him. _"Just after the accident."_

"I thought she had put you in school on the computer to help you."

_"No way. She was like, nine, ten? She had no say over my life at the time."_

"So then why are you in it now?" The older man was officially confused. All this time he thought it was Mikasa's idea to have him in an online school. He figured she'd been doing it for years without keeping point that she was a kid herself. She couldn't do that, but a legal adult could if they chose to. So he had been wrong this whole time, but then why was Eren there?

The questions swarming his mind seemed to be silently taken in by Eren. The teen sighed as he looked away, deep in thought. Obviously they were on another sensitive topic, but he seemed willing to share, if only for a moment.

 _"When I left the hospital, they were telling me going back to school meant needing a personal aid. I needed to switch classrooms, learn sign language, be with a whole new group of people, and lose all of my friends... I was only nine. Knowing I had to give up that much... I felt it easier to just go into an online school and stay at home..."_ Eren stared away at something, though Levi didn't know what, distantly. He hated the look on him, a look of disinterest and depression. It wasn't a pretty look to him, but he figured as much after bringing up the topic.

_"Maybe I gave up? I don't know. I know that I didn't want to face my friends as someone deaf, because things would be awkward around us. They'd treat me differently, and I wouldn't be able to talk to them without my aid... It was just too much for me at the time..."_

"So then why did you stay?"

_"Because it was easier. After losing my family and living with Armin, it was easier to stay at home and do my work there. I didn't need any aid's translating things for me and reminding me I lost part of my life. I mean, I've got it. I know losing my hearing doesn't make me weak or dumb or anything else, but I didn't at the time, so... It was just easier to stay in it."_

The teen's shoulders hung low like this head, lips turned down in a frown. He sighed heavily, though shaking through it all. He'd admitted to something he hadn't in a while, weight finally lifting off of his shoulders. It seemed easier to breathe now, but the ever looming thought of the man next to him taking this all in still weight heavily in his chest.

"I see..." Levi responded and rubbed at his back.

He couldn't imagine Eren going through what he had to at such a young age, let alone any child. No one should have to go through that, especially without their parents by their sides. For years Eren had subjected himself to mental anguish and torture. He'd envisioned himself and something weak and useless, and while that was nowhere near the truth, he had been a kid. He didn't know any better. He'd beaten himself up for years, and all this time Levi assumed some of it had been Mikasa's doing, but he found himself to be wrong.

Eren had managed to pick himself up, but at what cost? What did he had to do to bring himself back from it all? What sacrifices from him and his family were made to make sure he wouldn't fall?

Levi sighed softly before pulling Eren close and pressing his lips into his forehead. His damp hair brushed and tickled at his cheeks, but he managed a smooth and relaxed response as he pulled back to look at him.

"Levy...?" Eren spoke his name questionably. He had expected a response such as that, but he wasn't sure he fully understood the meaning behind it.

"I love you..." Levi said carefully, making sure Eren's would follow the movement of his lips. "You're probably one of the strongest people I know, stronger than me even, and I want you to keep that in mind. Okay?"

He wasn't expecting Eren to follow that much, but it was something that needed to be said. Judging by the way his head tilted slightly and the furrow between his eyebrows, he hadn't picked up on much or any of it.

"Huh...?"

"It's nothing..."

The gentle smile that spread Levi's lips was even more confusing. What had he said? What didn't he read right? He wasn't making fun of him, was he? No, Levi wouldn't so that minus the occasional brat nickname.

"Levy, I didn't..." Eren began, but his protest was swallowed down by a kiss.

The older man's lips melded well with his own, taking anything he had to say and putting it to the side to wait. Firm hands settled on his naked waist, calmly, but with the promise for something more.

Whatever it was he had said, it could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way. It had been pointed out in the previous chapter that I had put Fridge instead of Fringe by mistake. This prompted a very serious discussion with my beta reader that no, this wasn't a spelling mishap, Eren simply turned into a titan while they were having sex and was carrying a fridge on his head.
> 
> Do you people see what you do to Lady Mari Chan and I? You promote these responses.


	32. Trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I lost the proofing to this that Lady Mari Chan did and then she reread it to do it again. Giant thumbs up for Lady Mari Chan? I think so. *Thumbs up* As to this late update, life happened, but I'm actually going to work harder for this story in particular. I'm going to be focusing on this one a tad more for a while, which is not to say I won't update Lost Cause, but I really want to get this one done since we are so close. They are a little short right now, but the chapters will get longer again. There's a reason. ;)
> 
> I can taste the ending! Quick! Grab my hand and join me on this journey!
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the day: Save Me from BTS

**The Change You Wish to See**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Two: Trouble**

* * *

Painting seemed to take up a lot of his time.

While Levi worked on his art, worked to make it his living, he managed a job at an old bar a few blocks over. It was nothing glamorous, but it was keeping a few of his bills paid, and that was enough. He worked terrible night shifts, yet still managed to keep himself up long enough to get one or two hour's worth of painting in before he collapsed on the couch to sleep. He couldn't even make it to his bed.

Eren worried greatly for him. He wanted him to work again, but not like this. He saw the toll it took on his body, but there wasn't much he could do. He was too busy looking for anyone willing to work with him while he worked on changing out his major, which wasn't as difficult as he felt it'd be.

Mikasa and Armin were supportive, which took away most of the stress he'd been feeling. Levi was behind him as always, and on days when he wasn't working on his new assignments and trying to follow along with the new courses, he'd sit on Levi's couch with his laptop and mindlessly write. Sometimes he'd pretend to work, but really he was watching his exhausted boyfriend try to get his bearings together long enough to get some sketches done. He wouldn't ever let Levi in on this of course.

He decided if it would help, he'd get people in on it. After a month of hard labor, he secretly took a picture of Levi's art and posted it online while the man went to sleep. The older man had been right; it took the right people to see it to make him big, and that meant people needed to _see_ it. He wasn't expecting much from people, but it was something to start with.

Levi's reaction when Eren had told him he posted the photo online was... Not pretty. He wasn't necessarily mad, but he wasn't happy either. Maybe it was his big, golden eyes, the way his expression was a pout when he was upset, or the way he apologized, but the older man just couldn't be upset with him. Well, not for long anyway.

Maybe, even though he had previously lied, the idea of rejection really was something he worried for. He had simply told Eren that to get him off his trail, but maybe that was really a fear. He'd never painted for others. Every now and again he'd make something for Isabel and Farlan's as gifts, but just them. He didn't paint to make money or receive judgement, so the idea that it was going to happen, whether he likes it or not, was worrisome.

He had a reason for it now though. He had a reason to paint, a reason to make it his job and make money from it, and that reason was Eren.

* * *

_Sender: Eren (Brat) Jaeger_

_6:15 p.m.:_

_"Can you come over?"_

Levi had gotten that after waking up. He slept most of the day now, recovering from his long night's shifts, so Eren knew he wouldn't respond right away.

The text sounded wrong though. Something was off about it. Usually Eren would mention why, but that was on the rare occasion that no one was home and he wanted some private time with his boyfriend that he would text him. If Levi was correct though, today was Armin's day off, so the house wasn't empty.

_Draft_

_Written at 6:30 p.m.:_

_"Why? What's wrong?"_

_Sender: Eren (Brat) Jaeger_

_6:32 p.m._

_"We really need you here..."_

We? As in not just him alone. What was Eren doing texting him to come over if Armin and Mikasa were home?

* * *

Levi knocked on the door, at least waiting for a response first. Both Mikasa and Armin's cars were in the driveway, so that meant both of them were home.

He suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. What if something was wrong? What if one of them was hurt or sick?

He didn't want to wait to find out, and thankfully, the door opened before he barged right in.

"Hi Levy..." Eren greeted in a soft, but worried tone. Levi had half a mind to question how he knew he was at the door, but that was a redundant question. Eren was completely capable of knowing when someone knocked at the door.

"Hey brat..." He greeted in his usual manner, trying to ward off the uncomfortable feeling residing deep within his gut. Even the look on the teen's face spoke something wrong, and it was enough to have his walls up and armed. "What's going on?"

 _"Come here..."_ Eren didn't give him the time of day to answer his question, instead grabbing at his wrist and pulling him inside. The vast contrast from the coldness to the heat was ridiculous, but welcoming at the same time. Eren didn't allow him to get used to it, let alone tug his shoes off before pulling him further into the house, where Mikasa and Armin sat in the living room.

"You invited him here?" His sister asked in an exasperated tone. "Really, Eren?"

"Mikasa, don't be upset with him." Armin told her. "He doesn't want you upset."

"Upset about what?" The older man questioned as they joined them in the room. "What's going on?"

Armin and Mikasa exchanged glances, as if a silent, but understanding conversation was taking place. The blonde seemed apprehensive about speaking out, as if he didn't want to bring it up, but with a somber wave of her hand, he seemed to have gotten reluctant permission.

"... Mikasa lost her job today." He revealed grimly, to which the girl turned her head away, as if ashamed by the information.

"What...?" Levi questioned, surprised. That wasn't the kind of information he had been expecting from them. "How...?"

"They fired me..." She admitted in a flat tone, almost as if she wasn't affected by it, but by the look on her face, she was simply hiding the pain.

"For what?"

"Well I-..." She began, but stopped short. Eren took a seat beside her on the couch and rubbed at her back, trying to bring her some comfort. Maybe he was wrong, but maybe she didn't want to talk about it in front of him. Maybe she didn't want to put any burden on his shoulders.

Eren didn't have a job, and Armin was the only one with one now as it stood. Not only didn't this out problems on them and their financial situation (Which, from the last time he and the teen spoke, it wasn't doing so well), but she knew, deep down, Eren must have been thinking about the implants.

How they'd be pushed back. How the wait would be longer. How it'd have to take a back seat until she got another job.

She knew him. She knew he wouldn't bring it up, nor would he even think about it when he knew she was so upset about this, but eventually it'd be there, and when it did, he'd be heartbroken again.

"I tried taking your advice... About not working so much, and I want to spend more time here with my family, so I told my boss I wanted to reduce my hours..."

She strayed away from her sentence, obviously not keen on the subject.

"So what? They fired you for that?" Levi asked in a gruff tone. "They can't do that, Mikasa. They can't fire you for that shit."

"They said I had been slacking off..." She excused.

"That's bullshit and you know it." The older man reprimanded her for her thoughts. "You're one of their best employees and they know it too. They just made up an excuse, because they aren't happy with your decision, and that's utter horse shit."

"Levi..." Armin said, a slight warning tone within his voice.

"No, Armin, you know it's true. You should report them for that crap."

Yes, he knew it was true, but the way he went about talking of the subject wasn't justifiable. He was being ruthless about it, even when they knew that was simply how Levi spoke.

"No..." Mikasa instantly turned down the idea.

"Why...? Mikasa, you have a perfect-"

"I'm embarrassed enough, alright?" She suddenly bit out and stood up to face him. "I don't want to go back after what they did, and I don't care! I'm tired of it! So no, I'm not going back and I'm not arguing over it! I don't want that job!"

As quick as her outburst, Mikasa suddenly up and left the room. Eren called out to her, but she ignored his plea to instead go to her room. Even the brunette could tell she had shut the door by how hard the house shook.

A morbid silence fell over the group. It wasn't just her little outburst that did it, but the implications of her without a job. Mikasa was most of their income after all, giving up most of her free time to pay the bills while still somehow managing school work. Even with Armin's new job, it wouldn't be enough now. He only covered a few expenses, seeing as how he only worked part time. She was going to have to find a new job, and soon. It was bad enough not having one, but to have the weight of everything else on her shoulders?

They were in trouble.

"She didn't mean to bite your head off..." Armin excused after the silence was deafening. "She's just worried, and... Upset."

"You don't have to explain it to me." Levi assured and found his spot on the couch beside Eren. "Trust me, I've been there... I feel bad though. I feel like this is my fault for mentioning it in the first place."

He shrugged his shoulders as if the weight and tension was putting pressure on him.

"It's not your fault." The blonde teen assured him. "She's wanted to do this for a while. I think you just drove some sense into her and she knows you're right."

 _"So... What are we going to do?"_ Eren asked them cautiously, his lips pulled in a tight frown.

"Well she's probably going to look for another job, and I guess I'll have to take more hours at work." The blonde suggested.

 _"I meant about Mikasa..."_ Eren signed while rolling his eyes. _"But I guess that's another thing that we should talk about..."_

"Mikasa will be okay. We'll just be there for her like we always are."

"Are you sure you can handle a full time job, Armin?" Levi asked. "I mean, you have your school work. I know Erwin's job isn't the most taxing, but that's still going to put stress on you."

"I think if Erwin is willing to work with me, I can manage. If anything I'll just work long hours on the days I have off." The teen told him, admittedly weakly. "Do you think he'll be okay with that?"

"I'm sure if you explain the situation he will. I know you're a hard worker, so he isn't going to want to lose you, but are you sure you're able to handle working hours like that?"

"I don't really have much of a choice..." He spoke grimly as his shoulders shrugged. "It's okay though. Summer vacation will be here soon, and then I won't have to worry. I just have to get through these last few months, and everything will be easier."

If only he could believe his own words.


	33. For Once, Something Good

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop. Dere it is. I was actually so bummed when I put this on my computer. I thought it was such a long chapter, and it's not. *Sighs* Working on it.
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the day: Cheer Up By Twice (Because this is all I listened to while writing this. No questions.)

**The Change You Wish to See**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Three: For Once, Something Good**

* * *

There was a timid knock at his door, prompting the blonde to look up and away from the paperwork on his desk.

"Come in," He called out. He looked down briefly to close the yellow folder, but when he looked up again, his smiled widened at the sight of his new employee. "Oh, Armin. Come on in," He offered.

The teen shut the door behind him quietly and padded further into the room, eyes staring just slightly to the right of his boss. Erwin was a nice man, but he had an intimidating aura. Had it not been for what Levi had said, Armin would almost back out of this and pretend the idea never came to mind, but at least he had some reassurance.

"Hi Mr. Smith," He greeted politely.

"Armin, please. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Erwin before your finally pick it up?" The man berated with a small laugh and motioned for the blonde to take a seat.

"Sorry, Erwin..." He corrected himself before sitting down in front of him. "I feel odd referring to my boss by his first name."

"Well then I can yell at you for something. For instance, you didn't dot your _I_ here. How dare you?" Erwin's way of soothing his frayed nerves worked well, but he couldn't help but feel like he was being talked to as if he were a child. Maybe that came from the way he spoke to his children.

"I'm horrible. I'm so sorry, sir." Armin mocked his apology with a lazy roll of his eyes. Erwin took nothing by it and simply sat back in his seat.

"So what can I help you with, Armin?" The older man asked of him. "Usually you're heading out by now."

"I actually had something to ask you." The blonde said, eyes adverting away again.

He was afraid to bring this up. What if he said no? What if he refused? What were they going to do if he didn't start making a better paycheck?

"Ask away then." His boss offered.

The teen hesitated for a moment, taking in a deep breath. His odd behavior didn't go unnoticed for long, but before Erwin could question it, he began to speak.

"So, the people I live with..." He felt it odd to refer to Eren and Mikasa as simply people. They were his family, but sometimes people read too much into their situation for him to sit down for an hour and explain it to them. "Well, Mikasa lost her job yesterday, and... Well, her paycheck was most of our income. Without her, we aren't going to be able to afford our house or bills, so I was wondering if I could start working more hours?"

Blue eyes lifted just a moment to meet a matching set, but Erwin's face was his typical, stern look he wore when he wasn't joking around. It made his swallow a dry lump in his throat.

"If possible, if you're willing to work around my school hours until summer, I could work full time?"

There was a short pause. For a moment Armin feared he'd made a terrible decision by speaking of the idea, but that was until Erwin leaned forward in his seat.

"Of course, Armin..." He said while his hands sat sternly on his desk. "I know it must be hard having to suddenly take up that responsibility. Are you sure you're okay to make that kind of commitment though? That's almost forty hours a week plus your education."

"I can manage." Armin quickly replied. He wouldn't be looked at as weak or incapable. If it was for his family, he'd do it. He had to do it. "Maybe Mikasa will get another job faster than expected. It's just to help out."

"I admire your work ethic, Armin. I wish I had more employees just like you." Erwin praised as he leaned back into his chair again. "Yes, we'll look at your schedule and see where I can place you around your school times. I can always use more of your help."

"That'd be wonderful..." The teen said with a sigh of relief following quickly after.

"It's not a problem, Armin. I know a very minimal about your situation from you, and from Levi." The blonde gave his boss a look of confusion. "Well every time we speak, Eren pops into the conversation. I've only heard small things though, no worries."

No worries indeed. This felt like a two hundred pound weight was suddenly lifted off of his shoulders. He felt like the world wasn't crushing him. It wasn't going to be easy handling a full time job and school, but if Mikasa could do it, then so could he. He had to. Their home, the lives depended on him now.

"How long do you think you'll be working full time?" Erwin inquired.

"Well, since school is almost up, I thought I'd simply start now and continue during the summer. I-If that's alright, of course." He suddenly stammered at his idea. He hadn't even brought if duration of his temporary employment, and he had forgotten that Erwin was the one who called the shots.

"It's not a problem at all. I figured I'd ask in the slim chance you wanted to make it more permanent." His boss said and stood up.

"Well, I haven't thought that far yet. I'm just trying to survive for now," He admitted weakly and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"I completely understand. Hey, if you decided to make it something you'd like to keep, we can always make the accommodations. We can even go over the benefit plans the company has as well."

For a moment, the idea of benefits didn't matter to him much, just the money. However, it settled in his head in a way that made something click into place.

"Benefits, sir?" He asked.

"Oh yes. The company had a wonderful dental and vision plan. The medical insurance is incredible too."

That caught his attention.

"Medical insurance?"

"Mhm," Erwin responded and stood up to return the folder back to its original filing cabinet.

"Uhm... How good? W-Would you say it is?"

"Like I said, incredible. Covers pretty much anything, minus plastic surgery and things like that. You know, the _cosmetic changes_." Erwin said in a hushed tone, as if he was telling him a secret.

"Do you think... Uhm..." He faltered.

Was it possible? Surely not.

"Hmm...?"

"Could it possibly cover medical expenses like... Like a broken leg? Or maybe... Cochlear Implants?"

"Cochlear implants?" Erwin repeated and paused to think. "Well the broken leg, sure. Those, I don't think I've come across it. Never needed it really. I don't see why not though. That type of surgery is covered by most insurance companies, and I don't see why ours would be an exception."

The sudden news made his heart lurch hard in his chest.

"R-Really?"

"Yeah, but give a call to our help desk to be sure. I don't see any reasons why it wouldn't though."

* * *

The call he made. He made it the minute he left Erwin's office, dashing to his desk to find the number left on a sticky note to call. Each person he talked to, leading him in the right (and sometimes wrong) direction, just for his answer.

It was true.

Their insurance covered Cochlear Implants.

He never thought the idea possible. Mikasa's previous job lacked any form of insurance, so the idea never crossed his mind. He never bothered to think of something as simple as health insurance would be the answer to their problems. Well, not problems _per say_ , but it'd make things a whole lot more interesting.

He tried to stay calm. He really did. He left the office with a goodbye to Erwin, a promise they'd figure out his schedule another day, and paced himself to his car. He got in, barely remembering to turn it on before he tried to drive away.

The whole way home he thought about it.

Was it really possible? Could he really get the insurance to cover for Eren? Sure, they'd have to wait. It took three months to kick in, and then the whole process of getting the implants could take several doctors' visits, surgeries, and therapy. It could take even longer. A year even? It'd be a while.

Still, he thought, the idea was suddenly in reach. It was right there. They just needed to _wait_.

Why did that idea suddenly seem so farfetched?

He barely registered that he was home until he was suddenly darting up the steps and stumbling into the door. Actually stumbling into it. It was locked, and apparently it didn't automatically open like he wished just this once it would. He ran inside and into the living room, where Eren sat with a very groggy Levi by his side. Levi spent a lot of his time at their place during the day now. It wouldn't surprise him if he just started sleeping over, but he wasn't sure how Mikasa would fair with that.

"Eren-!" He began, but curse his lack of balance and the rug that obviously grabbed at his feet. He fell so hard into the ground that someone dead would have felt that, and Eren was no exception. He darted back to see the blonde trying to pick himself up again, hand covering his nose, and blood.

He gave himself a bloody nose. Something, despite seeming to be a very typical thing he would do, he was still surprised by this.

"Armin!" Eren jumped up from the couch in surprise and ran over, Levi following, barely even awake. Armin was sure he would have fallen and stayed asleep had he not come barging in, but this was enough to keep him up.

Good thing they weren't having sex. Armin wasn't to keep that idea locked away for now.

"You okay, kid?" Levi asked and helped the teen to his feet with the brunette's help. Armin staggered, hand on his nose to stop the bleeding, but was that really important? He had such incredible news for them.

"Armin, you need tissues." Eren spoke softly and started guiding him to the kitchen.

The blonde tried very hard to protest, but the sudden knock to his head and lack of blood had him momentarily forget his good news. Not so much the news, but he didn't want to pass out before he suddenly forgot.

"No, he needs help. Massive help." He didn't miss the way Levi spoke sarcastically. He didn't mean an ambulance; he meant he just needed to seek _help_.

"Stop it," Armin whined and shoved lightly at Eren's shoulder, because God forbid and help him if he got blood on Levi's work shirt. "I gotta tell you something!"

 _"It can wait, Armin."_ Eren reprimanded him lightly and placed a paper towel on his nose.

"No- Ouch!" He suddenly yipped at the pressure against his skin. Was Eren truly not aware of how much that hurt? "Eren, knock it off!"

 _"Armin, what is with you today?"_ The brunette suddenly growled, setting the towel down beside him.

"Really, Armin. I think Erwin is working you too hard." Levi suggested.

"N-No! He said I can work longer hours, but he said I get benefits, and-" Armin's signing had become so fast that even Eren could hardly follow him.

"Armin, slow down." Eren told him and held his shoulders. "I can't understand you."

Well that was a first.

"I'll get medical insurance!" He suddenly yipped, forgetting to sign, but he knew Eren was reading his lips. "I can get you your Cochlear Implants!"

The room suddenly fell quiet. Levi was so stunned into silence that it was alarming.

Eren may not have understood have of what he just said, but he got the gist of it. He read the part about benefits, about medical insurance, but most importantly, he read Cochlear Implants on Armin's lips.

"Just give me six, maybe seven months. Once it kicks in, we can go see a specialist about getting you your hearing back!"

Armin's fingers managed to slow into a more cognizant form that resembled sign language again, and Eren's heart suddenly thumped wildly in his chest.

"Is that true?" Levi asked him, eyes wide in astonishment.

"Yes!" Armin grabbed at the forgotten paper towel to blot at the slowly falling blood at his nose. "I tried to tell you, but the rug tripped me..."

"You've lost a lot of blood if you think that rug tripped you."

"That's besides the point!" The blonde argued and looked back to Eren, but stopped short at the sight of him.

Eren had taken a step back, maybe due to the numbness in his legs. He wasn't sure if he could feel them or not. One hand clutched at the counter top to keep himself stead, or maybe keep a grip on reality. The other covered his mouth, but for what he wasn't sure. He knew he wasn't talking, wasn't making a sound. He only took a deep breath and held it, forgetting to breathe it out.

Getting his hearing back? They'd talked about it plenty of times, even said they'd start earning the money for it, but it had simply been an idea, a goal. Suddenly this dream of his was within reach, barely there and present for him. It was there, ready and waiting, and all he had to do was wait as patiently as he could for it all to take effect. Well, patient didn't seem to be a good word to use at the moment, but it was as close as it could come for him.

The years had been hard on all of them. On their own with just their little makeshift family, barely holding on to their home and making ends meet, trying hard to find even some of the worst jobs, and finally, _finally_ , for once something good was happening. It was almost too surreal to think possible.

He honestly figured this was a mean practical joke, that this would somehow backfire. He didn't want to get his hopes up, because he knew what happened when he did that, and yet he wanted it to be real. To be tangible. To just be there and happen, for once in their lives for something to go _right_.

Would it be so much to ask for when it was so close to happening?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here. Have some progress in plot. *Tosses it at you* We're getting close.


	34. Something Unsettling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have found that the speak function on microsoft word does wonders for the days where I'm being extra lazy and don't even want to edit my beta's corrections that she puts so much effort into. :3 But seriously, a big thanks to her, another big thanks to you awesome people who're sticking with me. Have some massive tooth rotting fluffles these next few chapters. If I did my job right, you should be sending me your dental bills within the PM box. ;)
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Four: Something Unsettling**

* * *

The news was hard to comprehend at first.

Mikasa and Armin spoke so frantically that even Levi stopped trying to follow their conversation, such as Eren had done hours before. They seemed ready to throw a party, but Levi could see how Eren didn't seem quite as happy.

So when Eren quietly slipped away, excusing himself to use the bathroom, Levi followed close behind without a word. He followed him to his room, where Eren tried to lock himself away in, but Levi jammed his foot between the door and frame and groaned, because apparently the teen had a stronger grip on it then either of them realized.

"Levy..." Eren mumbled and opened the door wider. Levi brushed passed him, ignoring his questioning stare and making himself at home in his room. It wasn't too often when he was in here, and each and every time, there was something different. Most of the time it seemed to be the number of notebooks sitting on Eren's desk, multiplying as he continued writing his stories. It wasn't just the one Levi had read that the teen wrote, but that had been his main one.

"Eren..." Levi began and sat down on the edge of his bed. He motioned towards the brunette, waiting until his boyfriend sat down beside him before he decided to bring up the inner turmoil. "So, you don't seem too happy by this news..."

 _"I am happy..."_ Eren remarked, but his argument seemed weak at best, and even he could tell by the way his hand had a subtle tremor to it.

"Well then why aren't you showing it?" The older man inquired and slowly lifted a hand to hold Eren's. "Hmm...? You know you can talk to me."

"... I'm scared, Levy..." Eren eventually admitted, his hand squeezing Levi's and his voice trembling.

"Why...?" Levi scooted closer. "I thought this was what you wanted...?"

_"It is, but... I'm so afraid it won't happen..."_

The words seemed to make sense to him now, but Levi felt the need to divulge in it just a bit more, hoping maybe they'd both reach the conclusion together.

"What do you mean? It's going to happen, Eren. We just have to wait for Armin's insurance."

 _"That's what I mean."_ His boyfriend signed and shook his head, the beginnings of tears burning his vision. _"Everything good that happens to us always seems to blow up in our faces. It never goes right or just never happens. What if something happens and Armin doesn't get insurance? What it they won't let me use it, because I don't work for the company?"_

So these were the thoughts Eren kept hidden deep inside himself. Given their previous experience, it was an obvious worry, one justified by previous actions.

_"And I did some reading on the implants. They have high success rates, but it can go wrong. Sometimes it just destroys any chance of having hearing ever again, or maybe the hearing will be so badly distorted that it's not use having them. What if I just can't use them? Some people don't qualify for them, because of certain injuries or developments. What if I'm just that person...? What if-...? I don't want to get my hopes up again..."_

Eren shuddered at the idea before leaning into Levi's side. The man hadn't said or signed anything to him, which definitely meant he was listening.

However, it was nice. It made him feel like Levi was willing to let him get everything off of his chest before trying to talk to him again.

_"Things blow up in my face, Levi. I'm just waiting for something to go wrong..."_

"Eren..." Levi finally sighed and sank off of the bed. He kneeled down on the floor in front of him, taking up his hands, but when he realized he needed something to speak with, he had to let go. "Let's say the insurance thing doesn't work out. It's not over; it just means we're back to working up the money. I'll put my blood, sweat, and tears into my paintings if it means affording your Cochlear implants."

_"Your paintings?"_

Oh, that's right. He hadn't told him that yet.

"... I've been trying hard to sell my paintings so we could afford your medical expenses..." Levi admitted with a frown. No use in hiding it anymore. "It's not moving fast for my liking, but I'm still trying."

Eren's lips parted in silent surprise, looking into the dark eyes of Levi's with a mixture of admiration and morbid pain.

Levi would do that for him? He _was_ doing that for him? The reason for him painting was not only because he wanted to, but because he was trying to earn his implants. He was trying to raise the thousands of dollars it would take to have even one implant. Putting himself under that kind of pressure had his mind reeling.

He was doing that for him?

"We'll get your implants, Eren. Maybe not as fast as Armin's method, but it'll happen..." Levi let himself smile softly, his hand lifting to rub at Eren's cheek. "I want you to be able to hear my voice too..."

"Levy..." Eren sputtered out a sigh, leaning his head into that warm and inviting hold. He held onto that hand like a life line, a promise. They would get them, no matter what it took. "I love you, Levy..."

"I love you too..." Levi leaned forward and pressed a kiss into the brunette's forehead, his cheeks that were damp with tears, and then one last, chaste kiss on his lips. "Get your hopes as high as you can get them, Eren. We'll get them soon."

"Okay..." He reluctantly agreed. He didn't want to do that again and risk another failure, another heartbreak, but he didn't seem to have a choice. Levi wasn't going to let him think difficultly about this. "Okay..."

"Alright..." Levi said and sat back up on the bed. His leg gave an unpleasant lurch at the sudden movement, and momentarily he had forgotten that the accident had happened no more than half a year ago, and it was still a painful reminder. "So now that that's out of the way, let's talk about that book of yours."

 _"I told you I'm not letting you read it."_ Eren grumbled something unintelligible under his breath as he signed, golden eyes looking away from the man as a flush spread across his cheeks.

"That's okay. I didn't really need to read it, just put it into my computer."

Eren had been paying attention to what he was signing despite trying to ignore him. The words alone were enough to make him look back.

"Huh...?"

"Well after fixing some grammar and stuff like that."

_"Wait, what did you do?"_

"I figured since you stuck my artwork online for sale, I'd get my revenge. I sent the first chapter of your story to an old friend of mine who happens to be an editor." Levi paused for a moment. "Well, friend isn't the term I'd use for him, but we'll say that here."

Eren stared at him for a good, long while.

"... You _what_?" Eren suddenly stood up from the bed, jerking out of his grip as he tried to comprehend the words he'd said.

"I sent the first cha-"

"I know what you said!" Eren retorted, and yet he couldn't wrap his mind around it. "How could you-...? When did you-...? I don't even...!"

"Do any of those have a finishing statement?"

"How could you do that, Levy?"

Levi knew he was in trouble by the way Eren spoke, no longer signing. Yet he couldn't find it in himself to feel terribly threatened. The red dust on Eren's cheeks and sporadic behavior was obnoxiously adorable.

"Simple. I grabbed your notebook and I put it in my computer."

"Levy, _Counterattack_ is important to me! It isn't even done yet and you're sending it off to some editor!" The older man wasn't sure if that was a statement or a question. "It's private for a reason! I don't need people critiquing my work!"

Levi really had to restrain himself. The way Eren's voice squeaked at the sudden strain, all of which he wasn't aware of, was adorable to say the least.

"So you finally gave it a name?" He questioned before tilting his head. "Don't you even want to know what he thought of it?" He asked him.

"No!"

"Well he thought it was fantastic." He spoke before Eren could continue his ranting.

"Asshat!" The teen remarked coldly, but the words suddenly sank in. His angered expression lightened, his lips pulling into a softer version of his current frown as he thought about what he had just said and signed. Levi, carefully considering his next choice of words so Eren wouldn't do something stupid in return, sat and waited for him to fully take it in. The realization of it slowly coming across his face was interesting to watch. "... Huh?"

"He thought it was fantastic." Levi repeated and casually leaned back. "He thought the plot was extremely interesting. He loved the instant development of the main character after his mother's death, and he wanted to keep reading, but I told him I needed to check with you."

 _"... They liked it?"_ Eren asked, confusion evident on his face.

"Loved it, and was hoping for more." The man stood for a moment and walked over to Eren's desk, where he kept everything for his school work. He grabbed a pen and motioned towards Eren and his hand. When he held it up, he began writing on his palm, writing out a number that golden eyes followed with interest. "So I'll let you make that decision yourself. He said text him if you're interested in having an editor."

"... I hate you, Levy." Eren mumbled, his eyes staring at the numbers with a mixture of astonishment and curiosity.

"You went from loving me to hating me? I must have really fucked up." Of course he knew otherwise. He didn't take the comment to heart much less think it serious. Eren would be a lot more pissed if that were the case. "So have you told them yet?"

Eren shook his head.

"Not yet..." He replied, his fingers slow and precise.

"What are you waiting for now?"

_"The right moment? I don't know."_

"The longer you wait the more you're paying for what you don't want."

 _"I know that..."_ Eren attempted to shove at Levi's shoulders as he whined, but he didn't have it in him. He didn't have the heart to push him away, instead leaning further into the man's open and welcoming embrace. The height difference was awkward, but the warmth of his body was welcoming. He'd think of where this could lead to if it weren't for the fact that his family was downstairs, probably wondering where they went by now. _"So... What should I do?"_

"That's up to you to decide." The older man shrugged and sat back on his bed. "Do what you want, and what you think you'll regret the least."

Eren dropped back beside him, still looking at the number written on his hand. He'd never had anyone other than Armin read his work before, and Levi kind of did it on his own, with his permission of course. Armin had stopped once things within the story started heating up, because he knew that some of that was now based on experience.

He didn't need that mental image.

However, this person thought his story was _good_? Levi had used the word _fantastic_ , but how truthful was that? He could have been over exaggerating. Then again, when had Levi ever been that type of person? He wasn't, so if he said fantastic, then this editor person must have meant fantastic.

Was he really going to hand the rest of his story over to them? Or rather, what was written out so far? That meant someone else was going to read it, maybe suggest getting it published. He'd never considered having it published before, but now the idea was settling in his head.

Then hundreds, thousands, dare he think, millions of people would read it. The idea alone was enough to have his legs shake in place with anxiety.

"So what do you think?"

 _"I think I don't want to think about it right now. I want to think about it later."_ He replied. _"This is all… Just too much for my head to handle today…"_

First the idea of his Cochlear Implants becoming a reality, and then his book getting a possible editor. Sure, the whole idea of his book was miniscule compared to the idea he could hear, but all of it was suddenly piling up and overwhelming him. He couldn't even think through all of it, and something told him now was not the time.

"That's fine." Levi said, but just as he began questioning that response, Eren sat up and pulled his sweater over his head. "What are you doing?"

 _"Wanna do something we might regret?"_ The brunette asked with a smirk over his lips, his eyes gleaming with mischief as he reached for the button of his pants.

Yeah, now was not the time for thinking about that. Now was the time for something else with the older man who'd done so much for him.

"Eren, your sister is downstairs!"

_"So?"_

"So I'm still too young to die."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okidoki, real quick before we all get toothbrushes. I have a feeling someone is going to bring it up, so I'll say it here. Yes, I'm fully aware insurance doesn't transfer to friends; it only works with family. However, I am blatantly ignoring that fact, because that's how I want my story to go. :) Well... Where I am in my country that's how it is anyway. XD


	35. Decisions Decisions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I have no motivation to write right now. Why, you ask? Well, if you read the new chapter of SNK... You know why. I'm in feels city.
> 
> Psh. Nothing happened. What are you talking about? Everyone is just sipping tea with the titans and dancing in a field of flowers.
> 
> I'm not in denial. You are.
> 
> \- (A very mortified) Misty

**The Change You Wish to See**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** **_at all_. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death**  
**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs**  
**Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)**

* * *

**Chapter Thirty Five: Decisions, Decisions**

* * *

It was too early to be awake, and yet there was a warm presence beside him that called for his attention. It wasn't even intentional, and yet he found himself curling around the body in his arms, hugging it close, keeping it safe.

It didn't take much for Levi to know that this was Eren in his arms. Who else would it be? What Levi didn't know, that he couldn't seem to wrap his mind around, was how the brunette was even with him to begin with.

Reality was cruel, and despite wanting his much needed sleep, his dreary eyes opened to a barely lit room, focusing in and out on the desk, the notebooks stacked on top one another, the very sparse amount of posters on his walls.

They were in Eren's room.

The older man lifted his head up, eyes blinking and taking in his surroundings. It was barely light out, the sun ever so slightly peaking in through the blackout curtains and giving depth and dimension to the room. The clock read six-twenty, leading him to realize that he'd slept here last night instead of heading home.

Last night had been one of those rare nights he had off, so he had come to visit Eren and drop off his gift, but he must have crashed from exhaustion. He didn't remember it being in Eren's room though, let alone cuddled close to the teen who slept on despite his awareness of the situation.

He couldn't remember how he ended up in his bed, when it had been when he had passed out. Hell, he didn't even remember if he ate dinner yesterday. There were only two things taking major priority in his mind right now, one being that he was indeed cuddling with his boyfriend, and the other being that, if Mikasa found them in this compromising position (That is if she didn't already know about this), she would most likely kill them both. Him first, and then Eren.

He sighed. While it was nice while it lasted, he needed to be up and out of here before anyone caught him.

"Eren..." He whispered quietly and leaned down to press a kiss into the brunette's cheek. "Wake up..."

The last time he had done this, it hadn't ended well. That had been months ago when Eren had his seizure, so there was mild panic when at first he didn't stir. However, after placing another soft kiss to his jawline, Levi watched his muscles tense, his body shift in his sleep, mind trying to remain in its dreams for as long as possible. All he could do was breathe a sigh of relief against his warm, tan skin.

"Wake up..." Levi pressed his lips to the shell of his ear, and finally the faintest of whines came from the teen. "There you go..."

"Mhh... Five more minutes..." Eren slurred in his half awakened sleep.

"No, no more five minutes. I've gotta go before your sister catches me in bed with you..." He'd long since lost his interest when it came to speaking. If Eren's didn't hear him, that was fine, because he was still feeling lips against his skin and the hand at his waist, slowly rubbing little circles on his skin under his sweater.

"Levy..." Eren sighed and rolled onto his back, golden eyes wincing at him as he looked up at the man with a mixture of forlorn and annoyance.

"Morning..." Levi replied casually, as if he hadn't just been sucking small bruises onto Eren's neck. _"Does your sister know I'm here?"_ He signed to him, figuring the less talking he did, the better.

The brunette replied by shaking his head.

 _"No, I told her you left last night."_ Levi tilted his head as he lowered his hand, figuring Eren would explain the situation to him accordingly, which he did. _"You gave me my gift, but you passed out on my bed. I didn't have the heart to wake you up, and I didn't think it was safe for you to be driving if you were so tired."_

"I could have made it," Levi told him, but the words barely flew over Eren's head. _"Thank you."_ He lifted his hand to sign.

"Of course..."

 _"It was nice waking up next to you and knowing you'll actually wake up this time."_ Levi remarked with a smirk.

 _"One time and I'm branded for life..."_ Eren retorted and rolled his eyes. In his still fuzzy state, Levi couldn't help but think of how cute he was, of how the morning light was hitting his skin just right, and how his shirt was angled awkwardly on his shoulder, exposing the better part of his neck and collar bone. If it weren't for his family sleeping just a room away, Levi would definitely take this somewhere, but not now.

Eren could feel the man chuckle beside him, making him give a questioning look. He hoped the man would explain it to him, but he guessed by the smile on his lips that maybe that wasn't the case. That wouldn't stop him from trying, however.

"What...?"

 _"Nothing..."_ Levi replied and leaned off to his side. _"You're really cute in the morning, that's all."_ He explained, relishing in the dark flush that spread across the brunette's cheeks, dusting the tips of his ears.

"I'm not cute..." Eren mumbled, practically pouting.

"Yes you are, and there's nothing wrong with that." The man told him before leaning forward and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.

He would have liked to deepen the kiss, to make it go further while his family was still asleep, and judging by the way Eren's arms wrapped around his shoulders and the small sigh that left him as their lips stayed together, he wanted the same. However, there was a sudden sound from downstairs. A sudden sound that sounded like someone making coffee, because Levi had made coffee plenty of times to know what that sounded like. Eren noticed it too by the vibrations, despite how minimal it seemed. The two of them exchanged quick, worried glances at one another before the older man quickly sat up, eyes looking around for his shoes and phone.

"Shit, what are they doing up so early?" Levi growled under his breath, but then remembered the reason. Armin now worked full time hours, which meant he was up just as early as Erwin would be to get ready for work. It was either him, or one of those rare occasions where Mikasa had an early class. She was so used to being up at the crack of dawn that they had seen it as a force of habit now, and that would cause major problems for them if it was her. Given their sense of luck, it was probably Mikasa who, at any moment now, would come up to check on Eren.

"You gotta leave!" Eren whispered in a hushed panic.

"Eren, where's my phone?" Levi asked him as he hurried to shove his shoes on. The teen grabbed at his cell from his desk and quickly stuffed it in his boyfriend's pocket, leaving no time to spare.

Levi quickly headed for the door, but Eren grabbed at his shirt and pulled him back.

 _"You can't go out that way. They'll see you,"_ Eren explained and started tugging him away from the door.

"Well then how the hell do I get out of here?" He asked of him, but his answer quickly came when he saw where Eren the taking him. "Eren, no."

The brunette quickly cleared his desk before opening up his window, looking back at the man expectantly.

"This'll work," Eren told him and motioned for him to get on the roof.

"I'm not sixteen, Eren! I don't do shit like this-"

"You don't have a choice, old man." Eren grumbled before grabbing him and pulling him forward. Levi staggered before leaning against the desk, trying to regain his composure. _"Just drop down. The porch is right beneath it."_

"Yeah, like they wouldn't hear that." Levi uttered to himself before carefully stepping over his desk and through the window.

For March, it was already unbearably hot, and given how early it was, Levi was instantly wishing he was back inside Eren's cool, air conditioned room. Seeing as how that wasn't a possibility, however, he figured he'd settled for his apartment when he got back.

 _If_ he got back.

Looking down over the edge of the gutter, despite how short of a drop it was, it seemed to be a very long way down. He wasn't ready, or at a proper age to be doing things like this anymore.

"Eren," Levi said and looked back, noticing the way the teen leaned against the window sill. "One of these days she's going to have to figure out that we do a lot worse than sleep in the same bed together."

 _"And when that day comes, you won't have to leave out the window."_ Eren remarked with a goofy grin.

"You're incorrigible," Levi told him before leaning forward.

The teen got the hint and followed, leaning in for a gentle kiss. Levi would have loved to run his fingers through that soft, brown hair, but he had such a death grip on the window sill that he didn't want to let go. It was bad enough he had to let go to sign to him. The teen understood, but not without a soft chuckle against his lips that felt like a gentle vibration.

 _"Yeah, but you love me anyway..."_ He replied with, feeling Levi's breath ghost against his lips.

"I do," Levi said and placed once last kiss on his forehead. "Happy birthday, Eren."

Eren felt like giggling like a school girl, having long since forgotten that today was his birthday. Levi had stopped by yesterday to give him his present, because his day would be dedicated to sleeping and trying to prepare himself for another terrible night shift. He hadn't meant to pass out on him like that, but it wasn't all that bad for the teen. Eren got to lay with him for once in peace, take his time to take in certain characteristics of him he didn't get to enjoy too often.

The feeling of his heart beating in his chest. The warmth of his skin. The soft puffs of air that fanned across his face every time Levi would sigh in his sleep.

Maybe one day he would admit to Levi that he liked watching him in his sleep, but not today. Not right now. Not while he was dangling over the edge of his roof.

"Be careful!" Eren called out to him. He could see the man roll his eyes before dropping down, and for a moment he panicked. He couldn't see him, couldn't hear anything, and there was no way for him to know what was going on. Had he made it down okay? Had he broken his leg on the fall? Maybe he was on the ground screaming in agony, and he wouldn't even know.

Eren was just about ready to jump up and run downstairs to check on him when he saw Levi running to his car in the street. The older man turned around to wave at him, and that was enough reassurance to let him know he was okay. With that, he breathed a sigh of relief before waving back to him. He closed the window once he saw the man get in his car, and turned to leave his room. He might as well go greet his family before they come looking for him.

Eren shucked on a cleaner T-shirt before scurrying downstairs and to the kitchen, where he knew someone had to be. Sure enough, it was indeed Armin, which he had figured long ago. Sipping on a cup of coffee with a face that just spoke how tired he was, Eren meandered in and to the fridge to get breakfast for himself.

"Morning, Armin..." He greeted and faked a yawn. He was too awake to really yawn, but he had to act like he was tired, especially so early in the morning. He didn't need him becoming suspicious.

"Good morning, Eren," Armin returned the greeting with a tired smile and slow fingers. "Did you sleep well?"

_"Eh, sort of."_

"How did Levi sleep?"

Eren very nearly missed his head whacking into the freezer door when Armin asked him that.

_"You knew he was here?"_

"Eren, his car has been parked outside all night."

He hadn't really thought that one through, had he?

_"Does Mikasa know?"_

"No, I don't think she does. She went to bed early last night." Armin answered and looked out the window. "He's driving off now, so at least you're safe."

_"Don't tell her, okay?"_

"Tell her what? Hey, you managed to cover up your moans last night so it's not like she'd know."

 _"We didn't have sex last night!"_ Eren groaned and dropped down into the chair at the table. _"He fell asleep the minute he gave me my gift."_

"Uh huh..." Armin uttered. "Which reminds me, I need to get yours before I head to work."

_"My what?"_

"Your brain, and your gift." Armin set his now empty mug in the sink to later wash, but his blue eyes looked to see he had very little time left for chit chat.

 _"You got me something?"_ Eren asked with beaming eyes and a wide smile.

"Yes, but you can't have it until later when I'm back from work."

 _"Aww, you're no fun!"_ Eren whined, and just to prove his point, when Armin walked by to grab his bag on the table, he poked a finger into his side.

He couldn't really hear the yip that left his friend, but he found the physical reaction still just as funny.

"Eren-!" Armin began, but the brunette stopped him with a wave of his hand.

 _"You're gonna be late for work, and my present, so you better hurry up!"_ He warned him. The blonde looked like he had something more to say, but another glance at the clock had him closing his mouth and turning away. He really didn't have time to play with today, not with his classes, work, and then having to get his gift.

"See you later, birthday boy," Armin could have been more enthusiastic, but Eren didn't take the roll of his eyes seriously. Instead, he waved goodbye to him and watched him leave.

He curiously wondered if Mikasa was awake yet, but today she had her later classes, and she had been studying for recent tests. What she referred to as the "major" ones, but finals. Not yet, but they were coming. Oh were they coming. He was really going to have to pick up the slack around the house if he wanted to help his family out.

He figured he knew a way to start, and that was with finding a way to make money.

The teen stood from the table and went back to his room, ignoring the idea of breakfast altogether, quietly as could be so he didn't wake up his sister. In his room where he was safe, he went over to his desk and opened his laptop up to start it. To the side on his dart board, where he stuck up little reminders or notices, was a small paper with an email attached to it.

It had been a few weeks since Levi gave him that number, and even longer since he tried contacting the person. He asked his boyfriend for an email instead, figuring it a little more professional then a text. Sure, the man he spoke of knew he couldn't hear, therefore a phone call would be completely ineffective. He had said so himself apparently that texting was fine, but if Eren was looking to take his story places, he wasn't going to start off with awkward texts. That just didn't seem right to him.

Once his laptop was finally booted up (His school laptop wasn't going to last him much longer unfortunately), he opened up his email to begin typing to the editor, hoping they'd be somewhat forgiving of him for taking so long to respond.

_'Dear Gunther Schultz...'_

* * *

"Wow..." Eren uttered to himself as he looked up to the edifice in front of him. He didn't think a company that published books would need such a skyscraper, but then again, he didn't know much of the industry. He couldn't say he knew much at all for what they needed.

"Nice, isn't it?" Levi retorted when he saw the wide eyed look Eren had.

_"This place is huge..."_

"Eh, it's probably smaller inside." The older man remarked before placing a hand on his back. "Come on. Let's get in there."

"L-Levy, wait!" Eren stopped him and pulled his laptop close to his chest. _"What if he was lying? What if he doesn't like my book? What if he only wants to make fun of me-?"_

"Get in there." Levi interrupted him and pushed at his back, forcing the teen forward.

"Levy-!"

"Gunther isn't a 'haha funny' kind of guy, Eren. What he says he means." Through his resistance, Levi kept pushing. Even when the brunette dug his heels into the ground, and the spectacle of this old man pushing this seemingly child into the building was seen by everyone, he forced him into the building and to the elevators.

He told one of the people in there with them push number eleven. With an odd look towards them, he did as told, and Eren whined deep in his throat.

Maybe he'd get lucky and the elevator would break down. He didn't mind being in here for a few hours.

 _"Eren, you're behaving like a child."_ Levi signed to him with a very unattractive glare.

_"I am not!"_

_"Yes you are."_

_"Are not!"_

"Eren," Levi hissed under his breath. A couple of people looked at them funny, because the conversation they were having flew right over everyone else's heads. He didn't necessarily care, but they could stand to mind their own business.

Up they went. It seemed like there was a stop at each and every floor, and each time the elevator stopped, Eren itched to get off. He would have had Levi not been holding onto the back of his jacket where no one would see.

 _"This was a bad idea."_ Eren suddenly signed, heart pounding when he saw ten light up across the screen. " _Please, let's go home."_

_"You're the one who wanted him to read more of it. You wanted his opinion."_

_"I'm on new meds."_ He excused with a frown. Levi tilted his side, his face falling into a very unbelieving expression. _"I was drunk when I said it."_

 _"Eren."_ Levi pinched into his side.

_"Please don't make me do this, Levi."_

_"I'm not making you do anything. You wanted an editor and you have the chance to have one. This was your decision, but if you're really so scared shitless about meeting him, then we'll head back home right now."_ Levi remarked with a stern gaze and fast fingers.

The elevator dinged, doors opening to show the open expanse of the office of floor eleven. Eren looked out first, lips pulled into a tight frown and eyebrows furrowed as he looked around. It seemed to be a quiet office, if Eren was going off of anything by sight. Not many separate rooms for higher ups and small cubicles blocked off faces of everyday people. No one seemed to notice him standing there, deliberating and debating, too busy in their own world to really care for is presence.

He looked back with worried eyes at his boyfriend. Levi motioned towards the office with his head, but now, with no one left in the elevator with him, his fingers hovered over the lobby button, ready to push it if he decided otherwise.

Levi wouldn't steer him wrong. He knew Eren was scared, but he also knew his potential. He knew Gunther was a good guy who'd be the step in the right direction for him, but Eren needed the courage to move. He needed to get out of that elevator on his own if he wanted this, and truthfully, he did.

He would love for someone to read his story. The idea that his story would be interesting enough for people all around the world to read it was so incredible to him, but also very frightening. Those were a lot of opinions, and he didn't do well with people. If his first meeting with Levi was anything to go by it.

This was his chance though. If he didn't take it, who knows how long it'll be for another chance like this, if ever? Maybe he'll never get another opportunity, and that alone was even more frightening then the idea of someone else's opinion.

Eren whined, but after a pointed glance from Levi, he slowly made his way out of the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On a side note, I'd like to say that, no; Levi didn't really need to jump out of the window. He and Mikasa are on better terms now. I just wanted it to be a thing, and I used their rocky relationship as my trump card. Hopefully it was enough tooth rotting fluff for ya.


	36. Publish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyy~ Updates during the week are fun. I feel like I have more power! You think I can finish this before summer is over? XD
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Six: Publish**

* * *

 

 _"It's big for a publisher's office..."_ Eren signed, head ducked down in obvious discomfort. This was an environment he clearly wasn't comfortable with, but he trudged forward, looking for this man's, _Gunther's_ , office.

Apparently it was a lot farther into floor eleven then either of them anticipated, and Levi could see that the more they walked, the more nervous he became. It hadn't looked like much at first glance, but oh, how wrong they were.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we saw traffic lights in this place." Levi remarked, trying to help lightened the obvious tension Eren was feeling.

It seemed to work to some degree, if the smile that graced his lips was anything to go by. However, after a few more seconds of walking and thinking deeper into it, it once again disappeared. The older man would have tried to make him smile again, but he was stopped when his name was suddenly called from across the room.

"Levi!" A man with oddly shaped hair exclaimed and waved at him. Levi offered up the best "good to see you again" face he could muster up and a small wave, but he didn't miss the way Eren suddenly scooted closer to him, quickly figuring out who it was that was waving at him.

This was Gunther Schultz.

"Come on, Eren..." Levi spoke softly and placed a hand on his back to lead him towards the man.

The closer they got, the more details he could make out of him. He definitely had some oddly shaped hair. If Eren were to try to place it, it looked like a cone, slicked back to a point that looked slightly intimidating. If it weren't hair, the brunette would have assumed it was some deadly weapon.

The man had small, brown eyes, but strong features. His cheek bones and jaw were prominent, leading him to believe he was most likely older than him. However, was he older than Levi? Who was he to judge based off of looks anyway? No one would put Levi at thirty-five, so maybe this man was very similar in his situation.

"Gunther," Levi greeted as they got closer, extending his hand out for a hand shake. "It's good to see you again."

"You too! Man, I haven't see you in years it feels like."

"It probably has been." The older man remarked with an odd smile. The man, Gunther, looked over to Eren, his smile widening.

"You must be Eren?" He assumed and held out his hand. Eren shook it nervously, but after reading his lips, he nodded his head as confidently as he could. "Oh, so you can hear me?"

"He read your lips." Levi explained and patted Eren's back proudly. Always proving people wrong. Or not so. Eren had that effect on everyone.

"Oh, I see. Well Levi, I can't speak any sign language. Would you do me the favor of being my translator today?" Gunther asked of the man.

"That's why I'm here." The man assured him.

"Well then let's get into my office and discuss the book." The man said and motioned towards a door to the left, not far from them. Levi and Eren followed quietly, looking around in the room and admiring the surroundings.

"You've done well for yourself, Gunther. The office is nice."

"Thanks, but you should see my boss's office. It makes this look like a playroom." Gunther assured as he sat down on one of the couches. Eren and Levi followed suit, sitting on the opposite couch across from him, but after a few moments of silence, it seemed that the man was waiting for Eren to start up the conversation. It seemed as well that Eren was too busy fidgeting in place to do it. All he could do was hold his laptop close, as if it were a security blanket. Maybe it was.

"Well then..." Gunther began. Levi tapped at Eren's thigh to get his attention, and once he had it, he held his hands up to sign. "I guess we have a lot to talk about, don't we?"

"I guess so..." The brunette mumbled. The older man's eyes widened; maybe his presumptions of Eren had been completely off, because everything he did seemed to surprise him. Levi couldn't say he was shocked.

He had no idea what Eren was capable of when they had met, but then again, he didn't know much about people who lacked hearing to begin with. He made assumptions, and the teen broke them all.

"I have to say that I only got the first chapter of the story from you, but I was completely captivated by it." Gunther began, Levi's fingers moving deftly to translate what he spoke. "Your plot development was on point immediately. It's extremely difficult to start off a story with interesting and innovative detail without being too wordy, yet not rushing through it. The main character's pain was reveled in an instant, which gives readers a slight warning as to what's to come. You hold nothing back, and it's obvious right out of the gate by how you wrote it."

"Is that a bad thing?" Eren asked him with a frown.

"No, no," Gunther assured and shook his hands. "Like I said, it's extremely difficult to claim a reader's attention within the first chapter without rushing it. Readers won't go past chapter one if it doesn't capture their attention, and you had me right within the first few words. You wrote it like a master."

Levi's hands struggled to follow, not used to the constant string of words he had to translate, let alone words he wasn't used to. Words such as _innovative_ and _captivated_ weren't part of his every day vocabulary, so anything he didn't know how to sign, he had to insert another word for.

"I also love the build of the other characters. Within one chapter, we get an idea of his sister and friend, who they are as people and their personalities. I'm enthralled by the sudden development they all face within a few short pages, having to lose everything within seconds when that giant titan came in. Even the titans themselves are intriguing."

"I don't remember you having such a big ass vocabulary, Gunther." Levi remarked dryly. Had it been anyone else, they'd think it an insult, but thankfully Gunther new of his dry sense of humor and took it as a compliment.

"Reading has given me many new qualities." The man proclaimed proudly before turning his attention back to Eren. The sudden act seemed to make the brunette relax, mind wandering from the original reason for being here, but knowing it wasn't over quickly brought his guard back up. "Eren, I'd love if you'd give me a few more chapters to read. I'm dying to know what happens next."

"Well it's... Not entirely finished yet." The teen uttered, his arms tightening around his laptop and fingers tapping at the edges. Regardless, he slowly let it go to open it up.

"That's alright. It takes time to write a story, so I'm not rushing you. No need to be frantic about it. We all write at our own pace after all." Gunther assured. Eren hadn't been paying much attention to Levi signing for him, only managing to open up an email document.

After he'd first emailing Gunther a week ago, he'd put a few more chapters in his computer. After grooming it to what he deemed fit for other eyes, he kept it hidden away, just in the small chance that yes, Gunther wanted to read more.

"Okay..." He mumbled to himself as he wrote out the email.

"You know, Eren, with your permission, I'd like to send this to my friend over in publishing. I really think she'd enjoy it herself."

Levi stopped for a moment, suddenly surprised by Gunther's words. He hadn't expected that to come from him, but it had, and it rendered Levi slightly dumbfounded.

"You really think so?" Levi asked of him.

"Of course! I know a good story when I read it, and I really think Eren can make a best seller out of it."

"Levy..." Eren whined and shook his arm, having a hard time following their conversation on his own.

"He calls you Levy?" The man's face contorted to that of confusion, but noticing that Levi didn't react to it told him that this was a casual thing between them.

He didn't know much about their relationship, just that they were together, and that Eren was far younger then Levi had bothered to mention. He was thinking the teen would be... Well, an adult. _Older_ at least. He barely looked sixteen, but Levi wouldn't do something as crazy as date someone so young. All that meant to him, however, was that Eren was of legal age of consent, but still, that was pretty young.

"Sorry, Eren..." Levi apologized before translating everything Gunther had said.

The man sitting before them watched as Eren concentrated hard on his fingers, but he assumed by the slowly growing amazement that arose on Eren's face that he was getting the news. When the older man stopped, Eren looked at Gunther, to his boyfriend, and then back to Gunther, who offered up a smile.

"R-Really...?" He asked.

"Like I just told Levi, I know a good story when I read it, and you have a possible best seller. I really think you should go for this, Eren." The man assured him.

"... But... What if people don't like it?"

"Do you like it?" Gunther questioned.

"Huh...?"

"Do you like your story? Do you like the direction it's going, the characters, and plot development? Do you like your own story?"

"Of course I do."

"Then that's all that matters." The older man assured. "While I'm sure people are going to love it, it doesn't matter what they think, so long as you're happy with the outcome."

Levi finally set his hands down in his lap, giving them a break. He felt like there would be a pause for now, a chance for Eren to think about his words. He'd only come in here with the idea that one person, and editor, would be reading his story and giving him feedback. Maybe the idea of publishing it had come about, but it was like his cochlear implants. It had only been an idea until it was finally represented as something more. Now the brunette had a very dazed look on his face, looking lost between his decisions.

"I'll... I'll think about it." Eren finally spoke up. "For now, though, only you can read it."

Gunther seemed to understand his thought process and slowly nodded his head.

"Alright then."

* * *

Walking out of the building seemed to be an immediate release for Eren.

"You okay?" Levi asked him and moved to pat his back.

_"I couldn't breathe, and my heart was pounding so hard. It felt like an anxiety attack."_

"It's over for now, Eren, and I'm really proud of you. You did very well in there."

_"There wasn't much I did. Hell, I won't even let a publisher see it."_

"You told him you'd think about it, so give it time. That's a huge step, Eren, so think long and hard about it." Levi told him with a small smile. "But for now, let's head home. Maybe get some food on the way there. You can relax for now."

 _"That's sounds like a great plan."_ Eren agreed with a heavy sigh. Levi chuckled at his reaction before they began heading back for his car down the street. He was glad they hadn't taken too long, because he hadn't necessarily parked in a legal parking spot. His car was still there though, ticket free, and that was all that mattered.

Just as they got to it though, Levi's phone began going off. The older man stopped for a moment to pull it out, looking to see Mikasa's name flash on his screen.

"Oh great..." He muttered. She was probably wondering what was taking him so long to be out with her brother. Without work, she was an utter mess of worrying about him and being bored while waiting to hear about possible employment, and it showed.

Golden eyes looked down at the caller ID, and Eren groaned out loud.

 _"What does she want?"_ He questioned in annoyance. Levi shrugged his shoulders before answering, figuring it best not to stall too long. Lord only knows she'd come looking for him.

"Hello...?" He greeted. Eren rolled his eyes before leaning against the car, watching the man speak over the phone. However, he watched with slight confusion as Levi's features turned worried. "Wait, Mikasa, slow down. I can't understand you." He started and held up a hand.

"What's wrong?" Eren asked, but Levi held up a finger, indicating to him a moment of silence.

"Which one...?" Levi uttered and looked to Eren. He could already see the worry building into those golden irises. "Alright, we'll be there soon." He said and hung up.

"What's wrong?" Eren repeated himself.

 _"Come on, Eren. Get in the car."_ Levi signed to him quickly and moved to the driver's side.

_"Why? What's going on?"_

_"Armin's in the hospital."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear I love my baby. I promise I do.


	37. Take Care of Them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you be mad at me if I said that this was supposed be be out last week? ^^' I was going to upload it sooner... But then the new chapter of AOT came out... And I shouldn't have read it while I was at work... I didn't even wait for an English translation either. I was reading that Korean like my life depended on it. XD
> 
> -Misty
> 
> Song of the day: Run
> 
> By: BTS

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**(Original summary, but screw the stupid character limits) Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.** **  
**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death** **  
** **Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Seven: Take Care of Them**

* * *

Levi could say for sure that he had never seen Eren more frantic than he was right now.

Running down the halls of the hospital, being told to go one way and then another. He was quickly losing his patience, and at one point they had to stop so Eren could take a deep breath.

It had been a long time since Levi saw this side of him. This panicked, overprotective side of him. It only came out when it had something to do with Armin, and it was nearly impossible to relax once it was around, but he had to try.

It wasn't until they finally saw Erwin that Eren calmed, but only some. It was replaced with panic as he ran over to the man, quickly grabbing at his jacket.

"Where's Armin?" He demanded on the blonde. "What happened? Is he okay?"

"Eren, let him go," Levi told him and grabbed at his arms. The brunette hadn't realized how strong of a grip he had until he had noticed his knuckles were white, and by then Erwin was trying to talk him down.

Like that would do any good.

"Levi, translate for me. I can't do anything when he can't hear me." Erwin told him, feeling terribly guilty that he couldn't speak to Eren. There was nothing he could do about it though.

"What happened to Armin?" Levi questioned, pulling the teen back.

"I-I don't know. He seemed a little sluggish today, and while I was checking a report with him, he just dropped to the floor." The taller man explained, and Eren's eyes followed carefully as Levi translated everything.

"Sluggish how? Like tired?" Eren asked him.

"I don't-" Erwin began, but stopped when Mikasa suddenly appeared from within the room the man had been standing in front of.

"Mikasa," Eren suddenly ignored the blonde man he'd been questioning and ran to Mikasa, ignoring Levi's pulling protests. "Is he okay?"

"Fine now," She answered. "The doctor said he has a high fever. I knew he wasn't right this morning."

"That explains why he was so flushed." Erwin mentioned. "Why didn't he say anything to me though? He could have gone home."

"Because he's overworking himself." Levi spoke up, pulling attention to him. "Well think about it. Mikasa was the one with a full time job and classes. Now he's bearing the brunt of bills and finishing finals while maintaining a full time job. He's never done that before, and he's too afraid to ask for a day off with Eren's cochlear implants so close to becoming a reality."

"He's doing it on purpose..." Mikasa mumbled to herself, realization quickly dawning on her and making her shoulders feel heavy with guilt.

"And he's putting on a brave face so no one notices it." Levi finished for her.

"Someone tell me something!" Eren yelled at them. No one had bothered signing anything, and trying to keep up with three different conversations was downright impossible when he had to read lips. "What's going on?"

"Calm down, Eren..." Mikasa said softly before beginning to sign everything they had just discussed.

"I don't get it..." Erwin said softly and turned to Levi. "I know he's in a bit of a pinch right now, but he can have a day off. He shouldn't put some much pressure over his head like that."

"You don't know Armin very well." Levi admitted with a half assed chuckle. "He tends to keep to himself about things that bother him, especially if he feels it'll bring someone else down."

"But-"

"Can we go see him?" Eren suddenly asked out loud, too impatient to sign. He felt like that took too much time in moments like this.

"Let him rest, Eren." Levi signed, his attention turning away from Erwin.

"He's actually awake." Mikasa admitted and motioned to the door. "He's been awake for a while now."

Eren didn't need to be told twice. He bolted into the room without further notice, golden eyes falling to the blonde in the hospital bed, sitting upright and writing in a notebook. His sudden outburst had startled him into jumping in place, looking up shocked and confused before he saw the brunette. That's when his expression turned to that of morbid awareness.

"You told him?" Armin's eyes instantly searched out Mikasa in the hallway, and when he spotted her, he felt angry guilt bubbling in his chest.

"Of course I did. He has a right to know," She proclaimed as the rest of them followed suit. "Not to mention it'd be hard to hide."

 _"Armin, are you okay?"_ Eren asked and sat down on the bed beside him.

"I'm fine, Eren." The teen told him with a tired smile, fingers slow and shaking.

" _You don't look fine."_

"I promise I am. See?" Armin said and held up his arms, pencil in hand. "Perfectly fine."

"Armin," Erwin began and walked over to the other side of his bed.

"I'm sorry about earlier, sir..." Armin quickly apologized. Maybe he hadn't thought that Erwin would be here, but the horrified surprise on his face was a dead giveaway for his internal thoughts. "I promise, it won't happen again."

"I don't know why you think this is something you can apologize for." Erwin quickly reprimanded him. "Why didn't you tell me you were sick?"

"Because it's nothing serious." He excused all too quickly.

"Nothing serious? Armin, you passed out from your fever."

"It's just a child's fever."

"Armin," Mikasa said disapprovingly.

"I'm fine!" He exclaimed.

"Armin...!" Erwin's voice suddenly boomed over him. The blonde visibly flinched in fear, leaning back towards Eren unconsciously, who reached for his hand.

Once again, he couldn't keep up with the conversation, so everything was going right past him. However, he could feel the tension in the room, see the expression on Erwin's face that was a mixture of anger and worry. He felt and saw Armin flinch back, so he didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know that he was being yelled at.

For what though? Armin did nothing wrong. He didn't do anything to deserve being yelled at. He should be resting and working off his fever, not suffering repercussions from his boss of all people.

"I understand you're trying to handle your family. I promise you I do, because I've been in your place; we all have. Working yourself to the point of exhaustion and being in a hospital isn't going to help them though. You have to worry about your health or all you're doing is causing more grief for them. Do you know how scared he was not knowing what happened to you?" Erwin questioned while motioning to the brunette.

"I-I-" Armin began, but his boss cut him off before he could excuse himself.

"Do you know how worried everyone was? You have to take care of yourself, Armin, and if I have to ask the doctor to write you up a note to get you out of work for a week, I'll do it."

"We can't afford that!" He cried out.

"Money comes last out of everything you have important to you!"

"Stop yelling!" Eren suddenly blurted out over them, arms wrapping around his friend and pulling him away from the man. "Leave him alone!"

"Eren..." Levi called out to him, but knowing it was pointless, felt it best to pull at his arm. "Calm down..."

"We _all_ need to calm down." Mikasa announced and stepped between Erwin and the bed, thinking it smart if she put some distance between them. "No more yelling. We're in a hospital after all."

"Of course..." Erwin sighed, his anger towards the teen dissipating as he stepped back. "Sorry..."

He hadn't meant to lose himself like that, but he was quick to understand what Levi had meant. He had never met that stubborn side to the blonde before, but it was a force to be reckoned with. If they were going to change his mind, they needed to go about it about a more constructive, less yelling sort of way. They needed to have a proper discussion about this, and not while he was in a hospital bed.

"I'm sorry..." Came a sudden, distraught whimper from the teen still closely nestled against Eren's chest. "I-... I didn't mean to cause any trouble. I just... Wanted to help..."

"Armin, you aren't Super Man." Levi told him, watching as Eren's hands rubbed at the teen's shoulders. "You can't do everything on your own."

"Mikasa seems to handle it just fine..." He seemed to pout against Eren's shirt, voice muffled by the fabric.

"Me...?" The girl suddenly questioned skeptically. "Armin, I'm used to it. I've been doing it a lot longer then you have, not to mention I didn't just throw myself into it."

"But you still handled it."

"And you don't think I didn't have my days? I did, I just hid it better."

Armin breathed in a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh, eyes closing, giving off a sort of sign to say he was done with this conversation. He was done arguing about it, and who could blame him? His fever had spiked at one hundred and two. He'd managed a nasty cold, and after the sudden rush of adrenaline, he was finally feeling the effects of it. He was tired, sick, and done talking about it.

"Armin..." Eren mumbled, rubbing at his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I caused such trouble." Armin suddenly spoke up, fingers barely moving so Eren could understand him. He knew the teen felt very left out without his hearing, and their arguments had only added to such a feeling. "Now on top of Eren's hospital bills we have mine, plus the ambulance..." This, he felt, didn't need to be shared.

"Don't worry about it." Mikasa said and slowly sat down at the edge of his bed. "We'll figure out a way to pay them off. If need be we'll try to get a loan from the bank, so don't worry about it."

"How can I not worry about it?"

"Don't worry about it _now_ then." She retorted and patted his leg through the sheets.

Armin seemed to scoff under his breath, but he knew that if he tried to keep up with the arguments, he'd have to deal with her wrath. He was too exhausted to do that right now though; too tired and suffering from a serious headache. He hadn't felt this horrible in a long time, and now, though he'd never admit it, he was wishing he hadn't done that to himself.

Tension seemed to finally dissipate into thin air. The blonde within Eren's arms was beginning to doze off, eyes barely open and fighting hard to stay as such, even after both Mikasa and Eren told him otherwise. Why he fought it, no one was sure, but it didn't take long for his fever to finally get the best of him and put him to sleep. When asked how long he'd be in the hospital, Mikasa's quick reply was only a few more hours. He'd go home once the paperwork was filled out, and by then he'd probably be feeling better.

Eren was glad to hear this information, glad to know it was nothing serious and that there was nothing of permanent damage done. Knowing so was like a breath of fresh air, at least for him. Mikasa was fine, and Levi seemed okay with the news, but Erwin still seemed troubled.

He excused himself quietly, making sure not to disrupt the sleeping teen as he left the room. Levi placed a soft kiss on his boyfriend's head before following, carefully closing the door behind him so their conversation wouldn't be heard.

"What's wrong?" He asked of him, watching the man silently brood against the wall. The taller man seemed startled, as if he hadn't noticed Levi follow him, but then again, the man always had quiet feet. He wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.

"Sorry, I just... I knew they were in a bad place, because Armin's told me a bit about it. He didn't ever mentioned how bad it was though. I mean... They're still just kids, Levi, working full time jobs while trying to keep a house and stay in school. Trying their hardest to get Eren's implants... That's not fair to them."

"This has been my argument since day one." Levi explained and leaned against the wall beside him. "It's completely unfair that they've been given a bad hand in life, and they have to go through it themselves."

"I shouldn't have put so much work on him. I should have eased up, but he kept saying he was fine. He kept saying he could handle it." Erwin contemplated regretfully.

"Erwin, don't worry about that. Armin is just that type of person to do this sort of thing. He'd do it regardless if it's this job or somewhere else... He should be so lucky to have a boss so willing to understand his situation."

"Yes, well... There isn't much I can do when I look at it. Armin is the only one working until Mikasa gets a job. He can't stop because they need a roof over their heads, but he can't slack in school. Like he said, a week is too much for them to handle losing from work..."

"I'm sure he'd be happy about working." The older man said.

"Yes, but not while he's sick. I'm going to have to be the bad guy and force him away until he's better."

"You're starting to sound like their parent now."

"They'd be so lucky to get one." Erwin muttered. "I just don't understand... I mean I do, but I never would have pegged Armin to be that way in a million years, let alone get defensive about it. What is he apologizing for, fainting? Is he really that guilt-ridden?"

"You really have no idea..."

* * *

Securely tucked away against Eren's chest, with his arms wrapped around his seemingly fragile body, Armin slept soundly in the quiet room, the only distractions being the heart monitor beeping every second to his heart. So exhausted from his cold and lack of sleep, however, Armin didn't even notice it.

The brunette mindlessly rubbed his head, carding his fingers through his hair and pulling out some small tangles. His other hand sat comfortably on his waist, rubbing tiny circles to keep him asleep, but he wasn't sure if that was why he slept on. All he knew was that the teen looked so tired, so small and fragile, even when he wasn't, and he was mad at himself for not noticing it sooner.

His eyes seemed to drift away from the blonde and to the notebook he'd been writing in previously, pencil by its side. It took a moment to really see what was written in it, but when his eyes adjusted to the small, neat handwriting, he finally placed it as math.

Of course he was working on his homework while he was in the hospital. The teen didn't know how to just sit and relax.

"Mikasa..." Eren whispered, or at least he hoped he did.

The girl turned to look at them, ignoring the poster she had been reading to pass the time.

 _"Yes...?"_ She signed.

 _"What were you guys talking about...?"_ He moved his hands and arms slowly, fearing any jerking motions would wake him up. _"He seemed so upset."_

_"You know he feels bad about not being able to do enough for us. He feels very guilty for it."_

_"He shouldn't though..."_ Armin sighed in his sleep, barely moving to nestle further into Eren's chest, but enough to make Eren think that he had woken up.

_"Well now he's worried about the addition of his hospital bills onto your own. The ambulance alone was a couple thousand..."_

_"A couple thousand?"_ Eren hadn't remembered his being that much, but he couldn't be so sure. They may have lied to him to keep him happy. _"How are we going to afford that?"_

 _"Please don't worry about it, Eren."_ Mikasa pleaded with her brother before rubbing his head. _"It'll be fine."_

_"But that's a lot of money, Mikasa."_

_"I know. We always manage to handle it though, through credit cards or loans. It's nothing we haven't done before."_

_"But we always do that..."_ Eren sighed under his breath while resting his head down on top of Armin's. _"Isn't there anything I can do?"_

 _"I told you, Eren, don't worry about it."_ His sister sat on the edge of the bed, her hand falling to rub at Armin's shoulder.

Clearly she was trying to take care of her family, but why on her own? Why did either of them feel the need to take care of everything on their own? He wasn't helpless. He had managed a job before, no matter how meek it was. It didn't pay a lot of money and it wasn't glamorous enough to be envious of, but it paid a few bills, and it gave him a reason to feel like he was finally contributing. They were finally working together, so why now did they feel like he couldn't help? Why did it have to go back to how it used to be?

He wasn't going to let that happen. Not again. He wasn't going to let either of them shoulder the burden on their own, even if he had to scrub toilets for a living. Whatever he would find definitely wouldn't be as comfortable as the book store, but it was something. Anything to ease up the tension.

That wouldn't bode so well for his school work. He had long since decided to finish out this year, and then switch his majors. It was too late within the year now to switch, so why waste the education?

What about when he started up again? What about when he started pursuing writing in a more serious form? He was already seriously considering getting his book published. When would he have time to work on his book and school when he'd soon begin possible shifts consisting of forty hour weeks, and that was _if_ he was lucky? Sure, there was summer, but three months out of the twelve meant nothing in the long run. Unless, by some slim miracle his book actually gained popularity and earned him something, but he didn't think that was possible.

_'...You have a possible best seller. I really think you should go for this, Eren...'_

Gunther words sat in the recesses of his mind, slowly coming to the forefront. He and Levi had both said something similar, assuring him that his story was good enough for publishing. Hell, Gunther even wanted to give it to a publisher. It wasn't that easy to get published as an author, but luck seemed to shine on him. It had been too easy with Levi knowing someone in the world of publishing, but insisted he did it.

What if it really became that popular? What if it sold a lot? Would that be enough money to cover their expenses? What he was looking at had gone from a couple hundred to well over a few thousand dollars in expenses, and was quickly pilling up. If he were able to sell enough, he'd be able to cover everything, and then neither he nor Mikasa would ever have to worry. Mikasa wouldn't be so pressured into getting a terrible job, and Armin wouldn't be putting himself in the hospital to get his implants.

Maybe, just maybe, he had the chance to do this for _them_ for once.

With that set in mind, carefully so as not to wake him up, Eren moved his arm to grab his phone from his pocket. There was no way he could call the man and expect a proper conversation, but he still had his number saved. Even if it wasn't very professional of him to send a text, it was all he could do. He was going to keep it quiet for now, at least until his book was in its final stages of being published. That was the least he could do for his family.

_Draft_

_Written at 4:15 p.m._

_"Hello. Is this Gunther?"_

_-Sent_

He waited for a response, impatient at best. It didn't take long for Gunther to respond, but in his anxious mood, it felt like years.

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 4:16 p.m._

_"Yes. Who's this?"_

_Draft_

_Written at 4:16 p.m._

_"It's Eren Jaeger, sir."_

_-Sent_

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 4:17 p.m._

_"Oh, Eren! Didn't we just see each other?"_

_Draft_

_Written at 4:17 p.m._

_"Well, yes. I wanted to ask you something though."_

_-Sent_

His next came in a little while later, after leaving him mindlessly rubbing his thumbs against the blonde's cheek.

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 4:22 p.m._

_"What can I help you with?"_

_Draft_

_Written at 4:23 p.m._

_"I thought about it, and I made a decision."_

_-Sent_

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 4:23 p.m._

_"About the publisher?"_

_Draft_

_Written at 4:25 p.m._

_"Yes sir. You can send her the files. All of them. I'll email you more once I manage to get to my computer, but I'd like to get my book published."_

_-Sent_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, like I could ever hurt my precious Armin.


	38. Passing Time with a Job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The one story I wanted to get done before summer... And basically it's over already. If you aren't already back in school, the next week and a half is when you'll be back. *Sighs* I'm sorry for such a long update. I'll explain it on tumblr for those of you who need real reasoning behind it, but I won't blabber here. You're here for the story, yes? I know it's been forever, and I really want to get it done for you guys. You've been following me for over a year now, so I better make it worth it. ^^'
> 
> -Misty

**The Change You Wish to See** **  
**

* * *

**Levi's never put much care into things. He doesn't put much care into things** _**at all** _ **. Nothing ever peaks his interest. Well, that's until he meets Eren Jaeger. Levi isn't sure what it is that's so interesting about him, and it irritates him to feel these feelings he's never felt before. Regardless, he goes to talk to the boy. When he doesn't receive an answer, he just thinks that the boy is rude; however, he understands why when Eren doesn't answer him. Eren is deaf.**

* * *

**Rated M for sexual content, adult language, some violence, mild character death**

**Main pairing: Riren with some side pairs** **  
** **Anime: Shingeki No Kyojin (Attack on Titan)** ****  


* * *

**Chapter Thirty Eight: Passing Time with a Job**

* * *

Waiting for months to pass seemed to take up a lot of time.

A lot of boring, wasted time.

It wasn't completely uneventful, but with Eren's implants slowly coming, insurance just two months away, it was easy to see the anxiety in everyone.

And it had only been a week since Armin was in the hospital.

True to his word, Erwin made sure the doctor gave him a note. This way he wouldn't get in trouble, and with the man's hollow threats of worse to come should Armin come back to work while he was off for a week kept him far away. The teen managed to have his teachers send his assignments, but there wasn't much as the end of the year neared. He did more studying in bed than his homework, Eren accompanying him so he didn't overdo it. For the most part, he managed to balance studying and being sick rather well.

His biggest concern, now that he had a chance to ward off his sickness and stress through mind numbing calculus, was passing finals.

After classes, Mikasa made lunch and dinner for her family. No news of jobs came to her, and yet it didn't seem to bother her. She came home with what was considered a smile on her face and made food, serving it to them like nothing was wrong. She was keeping calm, but whether it bothered her or not was certain.

She wasn't working, Armin was forced to stay home, missing a week of pay, and Eren felt guilty for not being able to do anything for them.

That was going to change soon though.

While Armin studied, Eren furiously typed away on his laptop. He'd managed to put the chapters he already had of his story into his computer, and now he just kept writing. Notebooks no longer needed, he continued typing until Armin tapped him on the head every few hours, telling him he needed to take a break. His fingers were apparently hitting the keys so hard that it was loud and utterly distracting, so he'd give Armin peace and mind for half an hour to make a snack when Mikasa wasn't around. He figured this would be a good time to brain storm.

When he couldn't think about the story though, he'd text his boyfriend. He had to be careful of when he did it, because Levi slept during the day to prepare for work at night, and he feared waking him too early. Late at night he'd text him too, and that was when Levi said he needed to go to bed.

A week in itself passed by slowly, and yet seemed to go by way too fast. After his first day back to work, the three teens relaxed on Armin's bed, talking about his day. He got there, completely uncomfortable, and it didn't help that people asked how he was. It was very sweet of them, but he just wanted to work and act like nothing ever happened. The day passed on too quickly for him, having been busy with work that had piled up while he was gone. Erwin absolutely missed him, because of that, so his return was greatly appreciated.

The others were glad, but with nothing to update of their own days (Eren had yet to tell them about publishing his book), they just laid on the bed quietly, the three of them holding hands and swinging them back and forth as a means of mindless entertainment. The only meagerly distracting thing could have been the lollipop in Eren's mouth, but his family was used to it. It was a distraction within the dense quiet.

"... We're a bunch of misfits, aren't we?" Armin asked after what felt like hours of silence, but has really only been ten minutes. Ten minutes had never gone by so slowly before.

"Yeah..." Mikasa agreed, her hand pushing his back into the bed and then up again.

"Why...?" Eren asked around his lollipop.

"I dunno..." The blonde answered mindlessly.

"Cause we're us." Mikasa answered for him and motioned towards the two of them. "You started it though."

"Whoa wait. What did I do wrong?" Armin asked and sat up a little, Eren following to see better.

"You made him your friend." She said and pointed to her brother.

"Oh no. That wasn't me. Eren stalked me until I talked to him."

 _"I did not stalk you..."_ Eren pronounced, but then followed it with something else. _"I followed you."_

_"Behind the damn school building?"_

_"What...? You want me to deny that?"_

_"You could have been more sly about it."_

_"I was eight."_ Eren shrugged his shoulders as he chewed on the stick remaining. Armin scoffed, more of a laugh, as he laid back down. _"Hey, at least I wasn't bullying you like those other kids, or that blockhead Erwin."_

 _"Erwin...?"_ Armin asked.

 _"Where did that come from?"_ His sister question with a frown.

 _"I remember him yelling at you. Don't think I haven't let that go yet."_ The brunette remarked, his head slightly tilting, as if trying to pout, but appear angry at the same time.

_"Eren, he wasn't really yelling at me. He was yelling at the situation..."_

_"Speak my native tongue, Armin. I can't understand you."_ Eren signed, the annoyance practically dripping from him.

 _"Eren, haven't you ever heard the expression, 'Anger is just fear on its way out?'"_ The blonde asked him, blue eyes gazing at him imploringly.

"No," Eren said and shook his head.

 _"Erwin wasn't mad at me. He was scared. He was afraid for me and my safety, and it just didn't translate very well from him."_ He continued to explain, making sure Eren had half a mind to at least pay attention to him. _"You told me that Levi got mad at you the night he got hit by that car, right? He wasn't really mad at you though, was he? He was just worried for your safety, that's all."_

The brunette stared up at the ceiling, thinking about his words carefully. That had been the situation in December, hadn't it? Levi knocked him out of the way, ended up getting hit by a car, but he had yelled at him. Levi had stated that he was simply worried about him, afraid he would get hurt, but hadn't Eren gotten mad at him too? Eren remembered having an attitude of sorts with him when things had finally settled. They'd managed to get past that little tiff, but Eren's cheeks dusted a light pink when he thought about the events that transpired afterwards.

 _"Does it make sense?"_ Armin asked, hoping he had shed some light on the subject.

He could see the cogs in his head turning, processing the information, but when those golden eyes looked over in his direction, Armin began to feel reluctance for ever bringing the subject up.

_"So what? You're saying Erwin's got the hots for you or something?"_

How could he have possibly come to that sort of conclusion? Armin could only wonder briefly before his fist went into Eren's ribs, effectively knocking the air out of him. Eren let out a sharp gasp of pain, or maybe he was trying to gain back the air he lost, but it didn't matter. He rolled over the bed to put space between the two, effectively creating a gap in case Armin went after him again. He didn't, which left him time to lay on the floor and groan in pain.

"How in the hell did you come up with that idea?" Armin yipped, cheeks flushed red from ear to ear in pure embarrassment.

"Nice one, Armin. I think I heard a rib crack." Mikasa mumbled distractedly as she looked up to the ceiling, ignoring her brother's sounds of pain. Armin may not have been the strongest, but that didn't mean he couldn't hit. He did have _something_ under all of his long sleeved shirts and sweaters.

"Armin, that fucking hurt!" Eren exclaimed as he pulled himself back onto the bed, rolling back onto his back, but crushing Armin's hand into his side, effectively keeping it pinned into his side. "That wasn't necessary..."

"You're such an idiot," Armin retorted under his breath as he settled on his back, ignoring Eren's pained expression. He wasn't going to have any of it, especially when he just considered his married with two kid's boss to have a crush on him.

He really didn't want his mind to take him places right now.

The teens settled, their conversation coming to a close. It was one of those days where much just wasn't needed between them. They were fine with silence, because, between them, not much needed to be said. They were completely content knowing what they needed to know. That was just how they were.

Another few minutes past. They would have been fine with more silence, but Armin heard the distinct sound of something buzzing. If was faint, and had they been talking, he wouldn't have heard it at all. However, the continuation of it made him sit up, brows furrowed with annoyance.

"What's that sound?" He asked. Mikasa and Eren followed, and although Eren couldn't hear it, he noticed the faint buzz through the house.

"Sounds like someone's phone is ringing." Mikasa assured. The two of them looked about, but both of their phones were nearby.

"Might be mine..." Eren uttered and sat up.

"Must be someone you don't know." Mikasa said and signed as Eren left the room.

It definitely must have been. No one ever called him, because everyone he knew, knew that he couldn't hear his phone go off. If he was aware it was ringing, it wasn't like he could talk to them. It had to be a salesperson of some sort. Some bill collector or a prank call (wouldn't the prank be on them?).

The teen made his way to his room where his phone was plugged into his charger. He had just missed the call by the time he finally got to it, but a glance at the phone showed seven text messages and four missed call. The number was unknown, so whoever it was obviously needed to talk to them. However, looking back at his texts proved that he'd seen this number before, a number vaguely familiar to him when he saw it again.

It was Gunther's number. They'd exchanged brief texts throughout the week, simply discussing chapters he'd sent, but that had been it. All of his texts today seemed to be the same. Quick messages of "Text me when you have some free time," but Eren had been busy writing all day. His phone had been in his room while he sat downstairs, working on school work and then his book. He hadn't ever noticed it go off, not even once, so whatever it was was important.

_Draft_

_Written at 5:23 p.m._

_"I hope you realize I can't possibly answer the phone."_

Eren sighed to himself as he sent the message. He really did hope Gunther remembered that little fact. If not, that would make this conversation a whole lot more interesting.

Whatever had been the case, Eren didn't even get a few steps outside of his room before his phone went off in his hand.

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 5:24 p.m._

_"Oh I know, but you weren't answering your texts, so I knew you weren't near your phone. At least this way you'd know it was going off."_

Well, wasn't that clever?

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 5:24 p.m._

_"Anyway, the reason I'm texting you is because my friend finally got back to me about your book, and it's all very good news!"_

Eren's heart suddenly thumped hard in his chest as he leaned against the wall.

This was about his book? The publisher finally got back to Gunther about it, and he said it was all good news. He wouldn't lie to him about that. It wasn't some terrible joke, was it? No, the man was a professional. Whatever this was had to be good, and very good for Gunther to be so adamant about trying to get ahold of him.

_Draft_

_Written at 5:25 p.m._

_"Oh really? What's the good news?"_

The teen tried to relax his expression, tried calming his suddenly frayed nerves before heading back to Armin's room. He wanted to remain composed so Mikasa and Armin wouldn't suspect anything, but it was hard.

What was this good news? Was the publisher going to work with his story? That was the first thought that could come to mind. Why else would it be good news unless this friend of his wanted his story to be an actual book? He couldn't come to any conclusions on his own, but he didn't want to get his hopes up.

Every time he did that, things fell apart. This was why he still remained skeptic about his hearing implants. Even if Armin's insurance was to come, even if Levi said he'd work himself into getting them, something always happened. It was just their luck. It was just _his_ luck.

"Who was it?" Mikasa asked him as he stepped back into the room. He'd been so out of it, so deep in his thoughts that he didn't know when he had gotten back. It took a moment to respond, a moment too long, bringing a frown to Mikasa's thin lips. "Eren...?"

"Huh...?" The teen had seen her frown, followed by her saying his name.

"Are you okay?" Armin asked him as he sat up.

_"I'm fine, why?"_

"You looked really spaced out." Mikasa murmured, her sudden motherly instincts kicking in.

 _"Oh, no, I'm okay."_ Eren assured and fixed a smile onto his face.

"Who was calling you then?" His sister asked of him. Eren finally had the presence of mind to sit on the bed, pulling his legs to cross over one another in a more comfortable position.

 _"Levi was, but just to get my attention. He sent a text saying I left a notebook at his place, so he'll bring it by later."_ He felt guilty for lying, but he couldn't say anything just yet. The anticipation was killing him, and yet he didn't even know himself what the news was. He had to keep it a secret, right down to the bone, because if he said anything, the famous luck he had would strike down and destroy everything.

More than anything, he didn't want to get _their_ hopes up. He couldn't do that to them, not with Armin so desperately working for him. Not when Mikasa was barely scrapping by with anything left in savings.

It just wasn't fair.

"When were you at Levi's place?" Mikasa asked, her voice laced with venom. They may have been on better terms, but she still didn't like idea that they'd spend "time" together. She knew there were things going on in their relationship that bordered recesses she didn't want to visit, and as such, she'd stick to keeping it clean. This was like trying to picture ones parents having sex.

It just wasn't an okay thing to think about.

"Uhm..." Eren hummed as he rolled his eyes, looking towards the blonde sitting similarly to him.

"No," Armin instantly shot down and leaned back. Eren grumbled at him under his breath, something not so understandable before feeling his phone go off again.

_Sender: Unknown_

_Received: 5:30 p.m._

_"I think this is something that should be discussed in person. I know you can't drive, but if you could get a ride, let's schedule a time for you to come in and meet with her. If you want to talk to her directly, I can give you her number. I've already made her aware of your situation, so she's okay with you texting her."_

Eren frowned at the wording. Gunther seemed very similar to people he'd met before, people who'd say or do something without seeing it as much of an insult to others. He meant no malice by any of his words, but why did he feel like calling it a situation? This wasn't something where he'd get his hearing back in a week after some medicine or something of that nature. Not to mention that he'd so freely mentioned his lack of hearing to others.

Why did that bother him so much? It wasn't like Gunther was trying to upset him in anyway, and surely not trying to do him any harm. He just seemed to be treating him a little like a child, telling people things before he had the chance to explain himself.

Gunther did nothing wrong, but this seemed to be the norm for him. Mikasa did it to him all the time, but he'd grown accustomed to it. It was expected from her or Armin. Levi had been that way at first, but he'd quickly learned otherwise on what to say around him. He'd been skeptical on things such as movies, to music, but he'd learned to understand Eren was just the same as everyone else.

Maybe he just wasn't used to it anymore? He wasn't even sure. He couldn't even place why this bothered him so much.

* * *

"And I'm staying in the car, because...?" Levi drawled out, head tilting in Eren's direction as the brunette got out of the car. Eren ran around the hood before stopping at the driver door, waiting anxiously for the older man to roll down his window.

 _"Cause this is business..."_ Eren responded with, leaning against the door.

"Sorry, I didn't realize I was dating a professional here. I'll be sure to correct myself for later." His boyfriend assured him with a smirk. Eren smiled at his comment before leaning in, kissing him briefly.

 _"I don't think I'll be too long."_ He told him.

"I hope not. I'm parked in a fire lane." Levi remarked dryly, yet he hid his true concern. Tips were nice, but they couldn't get him out of a ticket if he were to get in trouble.

"Be back soon," Eren said with a chuckle before waving him off.

He paced himself into the building and to the elevators, heading to the fifth floor. Apparently the person he was meeting wasn't on the same floor as Gunther, but the man would be there to meet him when he got there.

It was a quick ride, and he was there in a short amount of time. Obviously not enough to steal himself into composure, but close enough.

He walked out with two other people, finding this floor far more "business oriented" then Gunther's floor. There were a lot more offices, blocked off by glass windows and doors. Everyone in the room was dressed on a whole different level, not so casual any longer. He felt very underdressed compared to their suits, ties, and obviously strictly black and white policy.

Hell, all he had worn was a pair of blue jeans, a clad green long sleeved shirt that made him look ridiculous in this weather, and his backpack. He wouldn't be surprised if someone came up to him, asking if he was lost, and he surely wouldn't blame him.

There was a sudden tap on his shoulder, and Eren nearly turned around to say that no, he wasn't lost, but caught himself at the sight of Gunther.

"Sorry, didn't mean to spook you." The man apologized, though he knew it was slightly useless. He wasn't even aware that Eren could read lips, but he didn't give him the chance. The man put a hand on his back and pushed him forward, directing him towards an office not far away. Another room with glass windows that left nothing to the imagination, with grey flooring and white walls. Shelves piled with books, a desk with a laptop in the middle, and a set of chairs bundled close within the center of the room.

It was far bigger than Gunther's office, if he were being honest. It looked like a more upgraded version of his office too, and suddenly, the pit of bubbling excitement turned to anxiety.

The office wasn't empty. Two people were inside, sitting in the chairs and chatting amongst themselves. He felt a sudden upheaval of nervousness as they walked in, greeted by the two of them. He looked up to the man with a hand still on his back before looking back to his peers.

"Nanaba, this is Eren." Gunther greeted and motioned towards the brunette with a large grin.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Jaeger." She greeted and held out her hand.

The teen couldn't help his wandering eyes, noticing the person standing beside her moving his hands about adamantly.

She'd gotten herself a translator for him? He was both moved and slightly let down. He'd simply had the idea of using his laptop for himself, but she was one step ahead of him.

"Hello..." Eren greeted, noticing how suddenly timid he seemed. He was trying to sell a book here, wasn't he? Meanwhile he felt it hard to look into their eyes, felt how sweaty his palms suddenly were as he shook this woman's hand.

"How are you doing today?" The woman asked of him as she began walking towards the chairs. Naturally he followed, looking back and forth between her and her translator.

"I'm good. Thank you for asking." He answered as she sat down. "And you?"

"I'm doing well." She told him and pointed towards the chair. Eren nodded and sat down, his hands sitting firmly in his lap as he waited for her. He wasn't sure what to say, or what to do even.

He'd never been in a situation like this before, and still he had no idea what he was here for. He tried telling himself that it may be something completely unrelated to his book, that maybe she wanted to speak freely of the idea of it, but he couldn't help the little bubble of hope welling up inside his chest.

Damn it. He knew better than to do that. Why was he getting so worked up already?

"So Eren, Gunther sent me your book about a week ago I believe, or at least the chapters to the book. Is it still a work in progress?" The woman asked as she crossed her legs.

"Uhm... Kind of." Eren said and shrugged his shoulders. Maybe not the best way to start selling a book.

"How so?"

"Originally I was just writing it. I didn't have any intentions of getting it published, so that's why there's so many chapters." He explained, watching the man beside her keep up with the conversation.

"Hmm, I see. Have you thought about making it a multi-book feature?" She asked of him while tilting her head.

"Not really, but then again, I haven't put much thought into it at all. This idea is just about as new to me as it is to you." He said. He saw the small glint in her eyes, of something both confused and unsure.

This wasn't a good first impression.

"Have you really sat down to think about publishing your book?" She questioned and leaned forward in her chair. The brunette had a hard time looking at her translator when she suddenly took up this stiff posture.

"I want to get it published." He said.

"Why...?"

The question caught him off guard.

"Huh...?"

"You said originally you were just writing it, that you had no intentions of publishing it. So why now all of a sudden?"

Eren leaned back in his seat, looking over to Gunther for help, but the man seemed just as lost, if not more confused than he was. Maybe he should have had Levi come in with him, because he didn't know how to explain this at all.

"Uhm... My family has always taken care of me." He began, hoping that now of all times he could keep his words together and not mess anything up. "But recently, my sister lost her job and my friend was in the hospital. He's working himself to death trying to keep up with the bills and keep our house, and they won't let me help. They keep telling me everything is fine and I know it's not, so when Gunther said my book could be a best seller, well I..." He saw the suddenness of understanding cross the woman's stern features, as if it all made sense to her.

She must have known he was in it both for the money, and for his family. He didn't per say want the money, but he needed it, and he needed it for his family. His family needed his help, and he was tired of sitting around doing nothing while they suffered the brunt of the work.

She had to have known, right?

"Now I see why this became such a sudden thing for you." She said in a tone he couldn't here, but it matched her understanding of his situation. "I was very confused at first why someone who never had the idea of publishing their book before would suddenly do it without a clear direction for it to go. You can see where this poses a problem, can't you, Eren?"

Golden eyes shifted down into his lap after reading the words, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.

He should have never gotten his hopes up. Never. It was always the same, but he had hoped, just this once, that it would be different.

Why did he bother?

"Most people, when looking to publish their stories, have clear views of where they want their stories to go. They see it as a lifelong commitment to bring it to life, maybe see it become a movie, see it grow. As of now, you don't really have these visions. All you're looking for out of it is to help your family."

He felt his eyes burn, the notion of familiarity and disappointment aching in his chest. He wouldn't cry, not in front of them, but lord help Levi when he got back to the car.

"I guess..." He uttered. He barely had the will power to walk out of the room, to keep his eyes on the moving hands of her translator so he wouldn't miss anything.

"Eren, I'm not saying that's a bad thing." She told him, noticing his sunken eyes and slack shoulders. "Doing this for your family is an extremely wonderful thing. However, reading earlier chapters from the story indicates that it's lacking direction, an end to the story. You were originally writing for yourself, which is where the plot holes and missing pieces began to build. Now that you've given it a goal from nowhere, it's suddenly lacking the detail it needs near the end, the real clear picture people need. Writing to get it published and help your family is great, but now you're just writing it for the sake of finishing it and making money for them."

Eren noticed the woman pull a small notepad from across the table into her lap. Written on it looked like notes, little bulletins and key points she had to go over.

"Like I said, it isn't bad. I know you aren't doing it for you, but for them, or else I'd think you're a teenager looking for an in to fame. Your story lacks a very clear goal, but keeps its integrity through character development."

"The character is trying to end the Titans." Eren excused.

"Which leads to several different sub plots, such as getting to the basement, patching up the hole in the wall, and getting outside of the walls. Every time these are brought up, they are quickly overshadowed by something else and ignored for a few chapters, only to be brought up again and later ignored. I see the story and the progress, but it's a bit of a slow build, then a drop right back to the start."

Well, the teen couldn't argue with that. He'd originally guessed it like that from just constantly writing. He knew it was there, but he'd never worried about prying eyes and criticism. He hadn't thought to change anything though after hearing such praise. Gunther hadn't said anything and neither had Levi, but he had just assumed they were being kind. Nanaba, however, was being truthful. This was the constructive criticism he needed, even if he didn't like it.

"So... It shouldn't be a book..." Eren came to the conclusion on his own, lips pulling tight to keep himself together.

"I didn't say that." The woman told him, almost as if she was scoffing in a way. Maybe that was just the posture she took up; Eren wouldn't know without hearing it. "I do see what Gunther is talking about. This has the makings of becoming an incredible story that people will adore. It just needs some TLC."

"Really...?"

"Of course. Tell you what..." She began and leaned forward, setting the notepad aside. "I'm going to give you two months. Revise this for me with what I've told you from today. I'll give you some notes I wrote down, and when we meet again, I want to see that story I'm imagining."

"Two months?" He groaned out. His story had taken him years to write, not two months. How was she expecting him to rewrite and edit everything in two months? "How am I supposed to write everything in two months?"

"Well you want to publish it, right? Deadlines have to be met."

"In two months?" He couldn't help repeating himself.

"That's work for you, Mr. Jaeger." Nanaba said and stood, leaving the boy to gawk.

Work.

As in... A _job_?

A real, honest to goodness job?

His heart suddenly pounded in his chest at the idea that this was suddenly a job. He had not once thought of his writing as a job. Not now, and maybe not ever, but thinking about it gave him a fleeting sense of happiness.

"So do we have a deal, Eren?" Nanaba asked, noticing the suddenly interested look in his big, golden eyes.

"Yes!" He quickly agreed, not needing her translator to finish for her. He didn't need to think twice about it now.

A job. That meant he could finally provide for his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So unconsciously (?) I put some view points I've read about the manga into the story... Whoops.


End file.
